Far Flung Hope: The Beginning PERMENANT HOME
by Bombsquad
Summary: Humanity is on it's last leg. It's fleets are gone, it's worlds decimated, it's armies annhilated. Hope is gone. Humanity must search the stars for allies, before the Covenant subjugates more races to use in the war. Moved here because it's getting big
1. Prologue: The State of the War

AN = Newly reposted from the HALO category, since I could never find the 'Crossover' category until today, the Reviewer approved story 'Far Flung Hope: The beginning'  
  
And a note, I am ceasing all updating for the Far Flung Hope entry in the HALO category, out of respect for FF.net policy. This will be the permanent home for my Far Flung Hope series.  
  
A conversation between Major Silva of the ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troops) and Spartan – 117, the Master Chief:  
Major Silva-  
"When we push the Covenant back, which I sincerely believe we  
will, that victory will be the result of work by men and women  
like Lieutenant McKay. Human beings, who are razor-sharp, metal  
tough, and green to the core. Do you read me?"  
Spartan –117, the Master Chief-  
"Sir, no sir!"  
  
Prologue: The state of the war, and a restoration of hope.  
  
On February 3rd 2525, at 1423 the Human race received its death sentence. Harvest was the first world to the enemy, although 'fall' is a very sterilized term. The Covenant Hegemony murdered three million civilians in less than a day. After this bloodshed the Covenant had only broadcast a single message to the Human vessels that investigated.  
'Your destruction is the will of the gods...and we are their instrument.'  
Harvest was the first, but it was by no means the last world to fall to the Covenant onslaught. The most recent world to fall to the Covenant was the fortress world of Reach, in the Epsilon Eridani system; the last world between the Covenant Hegemony's onslaught, and Earth.  
In the twenty-eight years of warfare, Humanity lost all hope for victory. At the highest levels of the military and the government, it was long known that the Human race had no hope for defeating the Covenant. The numbers and technology of the alien enemy could only be overcome with overwhelming numbers. But the human race was rapidly running out of ships, soldiers and weapons to throw at the enemy.  
Hundreds of worlds destroyed by Covenant Plasma, reduced to molten glass orbs in space. Thousands of ships obliterated at the hands of faster, stronger and better armed Covenant vessels. Millions of soldiers and sailors dead in battle during desperate ground campaigns. Billions of civilians murdered on their planets, unable to do anything but stand and watch as the Covenant turned their world to slag. Humanity was losing, and they couldn't do anything to stop their enemy. It was merely a matter of time before the human race was annihilated by the Covenant.  
Even the best soldiers in the human race were wiped out. The Spartans, the single slender shred of hope that all humanity clung to, were nearly wiped out during the fall of Reach.  
The outer colonies were gone. The UNSC fleets were decimated. Reach had fallen.  
Earth was next.  
Humanity had no hope. Yet, with the return of Spartan – 117 and Cortana, the last surviving members of the Spartan program, earth had a chance to try and fight. Cortana's wealth of information gained from the Covenant's own information networks cast a small beam of hope back into high command.  
But the true hope would come from Halo itself. The structure was created as a weapon to wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy. The only means available to stop the spread of the Flood, the parasite that could destroy all life in the galaxy through infection of any sentient life form. It was also a research station, to study the enigmatic life form.  
Yet Halo held another purpose, created by the 'Forerunners'.  
It was a gateway. Linking the ancient construct to other locations through out the universe. The construct gave humanity hope, a chance to either flee, or to find help.  
  
*******Authors Notes******  
  
First, I would like to credit the dates and back story to Eric Nylund's books Halo: The Fall of Reach, and Halo: First Strike. Also, I credit William C. Dietz's book Halo: The Flood. I got the dates exactly from the books and the conversation at the top is credited to William C. Dietz  
  
The three Halo books are excellent, the book 'The Flood' is of the game itself. 'The Fall of Reach' is a prologue to the game, and 'First Strike' is a follow up.  
  
Second, this is my first Halo story, and it's going to be epic so strap in for a wild ride if you want to follow it.  
  
Thirdly, I am going to say what I might be crossing over into this story, since it is a cross over story. I'm not going to be using all, but I will be using a few of them. Heh, keep guessing cause it's gonna be funky very, very funky...  
  
'Star Wars' 'Star Trek' 'Master of Orion 1, 2, & 3' 'Gundam' series 'X-Com' 'Aliens' & 'Predator' 'Area 51' series 'Harry Turtledoves' World War' series 'Warhammer 40K'  
  
Might use all of them, might not. If you want to find out then keep reading. 


	2. Chapter 1: Crypto Anylasis

I'll do a disclaimer now then... I don't own the original intellectual property of any of the Alien Races represented, or any of the original intellectual ideas in games, movies or books from which the various species, cultures, technologies or groups originate. I do own the games books and movies, just not the original ideas. I do own this story though, so keep that in mind.  
  
Chapter 1: Crypto Analysis  
  
Crypto Analysis was one of the less valuable branches of the Office of Naval Intelligence. For the most part Crypto had been occupied with working on decrypting rebel and seditious transmissions. In 2525 Crypto analysis changed it's purpose from internal decryption and encryption to working towards cracking the Covenant battle networks and codes. For the most part Crypto had been spectacularly unsuccessful in their efforts. Although, unofficially Crypto Analysis was charged with trying to understand the Covenant language. For the most part they had been only moderately successful in their efforts. Much of the Covenant's language revolved around religious connotations and over stylized lexicon.  
But Crypto continued their efforts to decipher the strange alien language and their codes. AI's undertook most of the work, the human element was merely there to review and give context for the information. In the opinion of many in the higher echelons of the ONI command were concerned that Crypto analysis took up an undue amount of manpower. But despite the concerns, Crypto still retained a human element. Which was ironic, since the most important piece of information the human race could receive would have been viewed by a computer and delegated to some dusty storage file, never to be read.  
Lieutenant Junior Grade Ian White was sitting in the main information analysis hub for ONI Crypto analysis. Situated on Earth, it was probably one of the safest locations in UNSC controlled space. Defended by the last remnants of the UNSC fleet and the formidable defenses that Earth had, it was within the last true fortress for humanity.  
ONI Crypto was a section of UNSC High Command, located in the main command control headquarters for the UNSC forces that remained. Reach was HighCom, and that had been eliminated by the Covenant.  
The mood among the four officers in Crypto was one of grim determination. All four had been in this room for over three days, most of it spent with little to no sleep. They'd been working non-stop with no break. The reason for all their frantic efforts was the sheer mass of the information retrieved from the Covenant and from Halo hesitated it.  
Two weeks ago the last remaining group of Spartans had returned to Earth with the remnants of the UNSC Destroyer Gettysburg. Cortana carried in her AI memory core a breathtaking amount data retried from the Covenant battle network and the Halo construct. Since then the entirety of ONI Crypto Analysis, Special weapons, Science division, Intel and Weapons Development were pouring over the information with gusto. They knew that their lives, and the lives of every Human in the galaxy were riding on their ability to understand this data.  
LT J.G. White scanned the screen in front of him as the dry artificial computer voice read aloud what he saw.  
"Summation of Alien Construct data code named: HALO. Subject: Research programs and target species."  
  
"Halo instillations are constructed with a three fold purpose. Firstly, they are designed to operate as weapons systems in the final stopgap measure to halt the Flood, annihilation of every sentient species in the universe. Secondly, each HALO instillation is tasked with research into the Flood organism itself, and monitoring the countermeasure races studied." The computer read dryly.  
  
"Countermeasure races? What the hell are those?" White wondered aloud, then copied the file and tasked it to go to ONI bioresearch division. White finished setting up the destination for the file but read on, curious about the document himself.  
  
'HALO installations have been created to monitor the surrounding space they occupy, mainly for signs of the Flood reemergence. Many instillations exist to study various races in existence and analyze their viability as Flood carriers, or as resistant to the Flood macro-organism. The oldest races proved to be as vulnerable to the Flood macro-organism as any sentient species. Any ability to use them as soldiers to combat the flood would be useless. The Flood macro-organism proved to be capable of assimilating Asguard, Orion, Airlia and Antaran genetic code.'  
  
White looked at the list and blinked. He shook his head; those couldn't be other alien races, could they?  
  
He read on.  
  
'Technological development proved the only potent weapon for any of these races to resist the Flood. Technological development levels proved superior to any race so far encountered and studied.'  
  
'Other races encountered and studied have proven capable of resisting the Flood macro-organism in small controlled locations, but not through any natural means. All means are technological and external. Only race capable of resisting infection entirely unaided named 'Xenomorph' shares many characteristics of the Flood and just as deadly.'  
  
'Alien species named the 'Race' is a reptilian species that exhibits a slow, if not non-existent level of technological advancement. They have low technology kinetic kill weapons and a primitive grasp of space travel. They have come into contact with three other alien species, the Rabotevs, the Hallanese and Humans. The Rabotevs and Hallanese were subjugated, the Humans managed to resist attempts as subjugation. Even though they demonstrated primitive grasp of technology.  
  
'Note, race referred to as 'Humans' displays potential to resist Flood organism in technological and military means. Experiments reveal resourcefulness and technological abilities not demonstrated by other races. Multiple Human development studies have shown that human development is not set at a fixed rate.'  
  
White looked at the monitor and rubbed his eyes, he had to be hallucinating, this report was referring to a multitude of alien races, and various human societies. That couldn't be right could it? Naww.  
  
He needed more coffee....  
  
He glanced at his watch, sleep would be good too.  
  
'Human group classified as 'Imperium of Man' demonstrates feudal society, regressed from high level of technology. The culture revolves around their Emperor, a shattered husk of a being they have elevated to the position of a living god. Their society is on the brink of tearing itself apart. Currently at war with multiple alien races, 'Orks' 'Tyranids' 'Tau' 'Necrons' and 'Eldar' see enclosed data files.  
  
'Human group classified as the 'New Republic' and the 'Empire' both demonstrate a high level of development, and culture, along with interaction with other sentient people. But are currently involved in repulsing an extra galactic invasion from the Yhuzzan Vong. Note: Humans from this galaxy demonstrate psionic or 'magical' powers referred to as the 'force'. Also, see information on Yhuzzan Vong, military empire based on biotechnology, therefore extremely vulnerable to the Flood.  
  
'Human group classified as the 'Federation' is highly developed and non- militarilaistic, they also are made up of a multitude of other sentient races, and allied with the Klingon star empire (See information on Klingons). They have peaceful interactions with other sentient peoples and demonstrate a highly evolved level of culture and philosophy. Currently concerned with sentient race known as the 'Borg' See attached data for Flood resistance level.'  
  
'Human group classified as the 'Human Alliance' is a militarilaistic people, concerned with interstellar invasion and warfare with other aggressive peoples. They have high level technology and are capable of inter dimensional travel to a degree. They have set up their own set of alliances with other alien races.'  
  
'Human group classified as the 'UNSC' demonstrates only moderate technological development and culture. Currently engaged in warfare with empire known as the 'Covenant Hegemony'. The 'UNSC' is close to extinction.'  
  
White sat straight up in his chair and stared at the data.  
  
"My god..." He murmured looking at the screen. He spun in his chair and practically sprinted to the AI holotank in the center of the room. He looked up at the glowing figure being projected into the display, a man dressed in what appeared to be 1920's style clothing resembling a gangster. He preferred to be called 'Sid'.  
  
"Sid. The data in information packet...HALO 163. Can you tell me how recent this information was recorded into the HALO mainframe."  
  
"Gimmie a sec." Sid said and looked up.  
  
"From what I can tell from Cortana's files it was recorded approximately six months before she accessed them." Sid said looking at the Naval officer. White's jaw fell and he was at a loss for words.  
  
"Sid, I want you to go over the information in HALO 163 and analyze every bit of information. Make sure that it's saying what I think it's saying."  
  
"It would help if you told me what you think it's saying." Sid said.  
  
"I think it's saying that there are other humans out there, more advanced that we are. I think it's saying that we might have a chance."  
  
Sid looked at the officer and nodded. He looked up into the holo crystals above him for a full minute. Then shook his head and did it again. He looked back at the Lieutenant and nodded.  
  
"Oh yeah man. You're right." Sid said nodding.  
  
Lt. White flew across the room towards the com unit. His colleagues in the room looked at him surprised at the other man's seemingly insane outburst. Right now White didn't care, he had what could possibly be the most important file in Human history sitting on his computer screen.  
  
"This is Crypto Analysis. I need to speak with ONI Command now." White shouted into the comm. He glanced back at his monitor, the other three officers in the room had crowded around and were reading the file. He heard one mutter 'oh my god.' Very loudly. Maybe there was a god that liked humans after all.  
  
It was an emergency session of High Command. They'd been hastily called from their homes and residences at three in the morning. None of the officers were happy to be called up so early, but Admiral Lucien had called the meeting of the Chiefs of staff, and there wasn't much that could be done through grumbling. The assembly room was set up to be imposing, yet still allow the members to converse. A raised desk sat higher than the main floor and was in a circular shape. This allowed the members to look around at each other, or down at the unlucky individual that was facing their questions. There were ten members on the Chiefs of Staff. One representative for the Army, one for the Navy, one for the Marines, and one representing Special Forces. Those were the strictly military branches represented. Also, the Office of Naval Intelligence had a representative, along with Military R&D, Public Relations, Military Construction and Civil defense. Those branches represented endeavors that were both military and civilian in nature.  
The head of the Chiefs of staff sat at the center of the semi- circular raised desk. On his left was the military, on the right, the military-civilian representatives. Admiral Lucien was the head of the chiefs of staff and he wasn't saying anything. Neither did any of the other officers speak. But despite the silence, a pervasive energy coursed though the room. All of them had heard the news and they were eager to hear what was going to happen.  
Down on the lower level, the door opened and a trio of officers walked in. All three of them looked haggard and weary. The lead officer was Captain Irving, the current head of ONI Crypto Analysis; he had been the first to receive the data. On his left was LT White, still looking wild eyed and tired. He carried a sheath of papers under his arm and several data files. On the right was Crypto Analysis's primary AI, dressed like a Japanese Samurai he was referred to as Wong.  
"Well gentlemen, I take it you have some information we might find useful?" Admiral Lucien asked.  
"Sir, yes we do sir." Captain Irving said stepping up to a small dais in the center of the room. White and Wong stood on either side of him.  
"Well, don't keep us in suspense." General Monroe said from his seat as Chief of the Army.  
"Yes sir. Four hours ago Lieutenant White was going over a portion of the data recovered from the construct known as HALO. He discovered information from the construct's research systems that eludes to the presence of other human cultures in the universe."  
"And how exactly do you know this information is accurate? Or that it is current" Colonel Ackerson interrupted from his position representing Special Forces.  
"My protégé Sid went over this information and validated the dates represented in the files. Along with the study by Cortana, it places the information at being current and uploaded three to five months ago. As for the accuracy of this information, it details in depth our military capabilities and civilian systems very accurately. Including the state of our war with the Covenant." Wong said with a snap in his voice. Ackerson silenced himself.  
"The information included in this file is summarized on your monitors. Right now there are several major Human cultures represented. The 'Imperium of Man', the 'New Republic', the 'Empire', the 'Federation' and the 'Human Alliance'. Those races demonstrate space travel and advanced weapons technology. All of them are capable of fighting a stellar war. Other lesser human societies are present, although they are not in the same technological range as these five races. Along with these major Human groups are a massive number of alien races represented. Many of which are technologically advanced, some of which are allied with humans, or interact in a positive way. There is a breakdown in the files of the thousands of Alien races and societies that the HALO constructs studied. But I believe our chances for positive interaction are greater with the Human groups." Capain Irving said.  
"The HALO data includes a wealth of data and information on their societies, cultures, and their military capabilities. Judging by the information we have, there is a distinct possibility that they could defeat the Covenant." Captain Irving continued.  
"And how does this help us son? We can't just drop them a line and ask for help can we?" Admiral Lucien said.  
"True sir, these groups are isolated in other Galaxies and-" Captain Irving said, but was cut off by Colonel Ackerson.  
"So then why are you telling us this? Some sort of sick joke?" The Colonel snapped.  
"Excuse me, Colonel, but if you would allow us to continue perhaps we can finish telling you what we came here to tell you." Wong snapped right back. The AI wasn't bound by military protocol and rank. The AI glared at the Colonel from beneath it's hologramatic armor.  
"Proceed." Admiral Lucien said and glared at the Colonel for silence.  
"The HALO data reveals that the construct had a three fold purpose. First it was a weapon system. Second it was a research facility. And third, it was a gateway." Lt. White said.  
"A gateway?" Doctor Ewel asked from his post at Military R&D."  
"Yes, sir. The data states that the HALO constructs have three purposes. As for it being a weapons system and a gateway they both require the manipulation of large amounts of energy. We believe that the structures create a wormhole between two of the structures and allow for near instantaneous transit." Lt. White said.  
Doctor Ewel was nodding.  
"Is that possible Doctor?" Admiral Lucien asked.  
"Yes. Although it goes against our entire understanding of faster than light travel, wormholes are a distinct possibility. There were experiments done on the feasibility of creating a new type of drive for our vessels. Although we halted that research to work on the Covenant sensor and drive arrays for Slipspace navigation." Doctor Ewel said.  
"So, what you're saying doctor is that the HALO structure could have been a gateway between galaxies?" Admiral Lucien asked.  
"Yes. From the information I received on the makeup and structure of the ring, it is possible."  
"So? That Spartan destroyed the only HALO structure in the Galaxy. Even if we could communicate with these other human groups, we can't get there and they can't get here." Ackerson said.  
"I'm sorry to contradict you sir, but there is more than one HALO construct in this galaxy, or in the others." Captain Irving said. Ackerson glared at the Captain. The Captain didn't flinch this time. He looked at Wong and the AI nodded. The holo projectors in the ceiling of the room switched on and displayed a massive galaxy in the room. A small splash of blue was along one arm, while a large area of red took up the rest of the galaxy. Several blinking points appeared throughout the red, and a few appeared in the blue area.  
"This is our galaxy. The red is the Covenant Hegemony, according to the data in the HALO files. The blue is our space. The blinking points are HALO constructs." Captain Irving said.  
The Chief's of Staff looked up, speechless.  
"The HALO that was destroyed was one of a massive network in the galaxy. These were emplaced to make sure that every square light year of space was rendered devoid of life. If one of these locations is reached, it would have the same structure found at the original HALO site." Captain Irving said. Wong nodded again and the display changed. It seemed to zoom out and display a multitude of galaxies. Five of them began to blink in green.  
"These are the galaxies occupied by the other major Human powers. They too have the same make up of HALO structures. Presumably to curtail the spread of the Flood out of the infected galaxy, and to study the present organisms in the galaxies." Captain Irving continued.  
"You mean to say that this HALO network is still in existence in this galaxy then?" Admiral Lucien said.  
"Yes sir. And with it still remains the ability to contact the other Human powers." Captain Irving said.  
"Thank you gentlemen, dismissed." Admiral Lucien said. The three figures on the lower floor nodded, saluted and left.  
"Admiral...If what they say is true...." General Monroe said slowly.  
"We have the capacity to communicate and travel to other galaxies..." Doctor Ewel continued.  
"But right now the war with the Covenant-" Colonel Ackerson said, but was cut off by General Stevens, the Marine commander.  
"...is all but lost Colonel. Reach is gone, and with it the last line of defense for earth. If we don't do something we're going to be annihilated. The UNSC can't fight this war any more. We couldn't fight it when it began." General Stevens said.  
"If we send a fleet to investigate the HALO sites, and to make contact, we might have a chance of getting reinforcements to Earth in time to help fight off any invasion." General Monroe said.  
"That would leave Earth's defenses weakened to a point we can't accept." Colonel Ackerson said.  
"Colonel, if you would allow me to make the decisions here..." Admiral Lucien said softly. Ackerson mouthed wordlessly, then fell silent.  
"The possibility of gaining aid from other governments is worth the risks. Right now our fleet is down to skeleton levels. We barely have enough to slow down a Covenant force attacking earth. Our ground forces have been crushed. There's no room for debate on this issue. Some small hope is better than none at all." Admiral Lucien said.  
"I want a military force formed to investigate the other HALO locations in our space. ONI surveillance will be stepped up in these areas as well. I want a joint Naval, Army, and Marine task force assigned to this along with a scientific and diplomatic envoys accompanying, this is the highest priority. If this mission doesn't succeed than the absence of a few ships and soldiers won't make any difference." Admiral Lucien said. There were nods around the table.  
"This is our last hope gentlemen, the Covenant is coming to earth and if we don't get some sort of help, we won't be able to stop them. I don't think we can win this war without help, I don't think we can stop the Covenant advance without help. We're done for if something doesn't happen to help us."  
  
Next: Chapter 2: Discoveries by the Imperium of Man. 


	3. Chapter 2: Discoveries by the Imperium o...

Chapter 2: Discoveries by the Imperium of Man  
  
Solar Admiral Forge Vilintium stood aboard the bridge of the Emperor class battleship Shining Vengeance and watched his fleet from behind the ancient elaborate spires and fine construction measures of the vessel. The command bridge looked out across the long hull of his ship. It's ancient bulkheads and hulls painted in the solemn black of the honor fleet. The paint had worn in many areas through the millennia of battle the ship had been subjected to, the patches and repairs to the archaic hull and systems. The very control systems and controls of the ship long since forgotten by any other than the Techpriests.  
  
The Solar Admiral gazed out at the battle fleet arrayed around the flagship. It was a fleet that had never before been assembled for something so simple as a research mission for the Techpriests of Mars. Three battleships, the Shining Vengeance being the flagship of the fleet, it's direct escorts the Heroic Death and the Warriors Deliverance both Retribution class vessels, slightly smaller than the flagship, but boasting a considerable armament. Along with this, each battleship boasted a four- ship escort of an Overlord class Battle cruiser and three Mars class Battle cruisers. Around the periphery of the core fleet were forty smaller ships. Ten Gothic class cruisers made a potent force with their lance batteries. Twenty Tyrant class Cruisers with long-range broadside capabilities. Coupled with ten Dictator class cruisers and their fighter wings for interception. The detection force of ten roving Dauntless light cruisers were mere scouts, relaying their findings to the main fleet.  
  
This was an impressive fleet, more powerful than any in the system. In any engagement Battle fleet Expidious would rule the day. No enemy force would be capable of withstanding the raw firepower presented by this fleet would decimate any Chaos force or Xeno incursion into Human space. But, this fleet wasn't arrayed against any enemy force. Oh no, and that was what made Solar Admiral Vilintium so angry.  
  
This Battle fleet had been commissioned by the Techpriests of Mars by one of their surveyor units. Almost one year ago a surveyor unit had appeared in the Jutland sector and demanded an immediate levying of troops and ships. Using their substantial powers they commissioned a grand fleet, this fleet, and a massive number of ground troops and materials. They even summoned forth a battle barge of the Adeptus Astartes, the Blood Angels Order.  
  
But even with this awesome might of firepower, ships and men, he still hated the fact he was doing little more than babysitting a group of Techpriests. He snarled as he thought about the Adeptus Mechanious members that had taken it upon themselves to order him and his men around like lowly conscripts.  
  
Solar Admiral Vilintium looked at the Adeptus Mechanious vessels that his armada was guarding. If he could, he would destroy the vessels out of sheer annoyance, but he couldn't. They were loyal servants of the Emperor, and they held superiority over him. He contented himself with gazing up at the massive construction that lay before his fleet.  
  
It was a giant ring hundreds of kilometers across, large enough for his entire fleet to pass through without breaking formation. He had been awestruck by the sheer size of the structure, slowly spinning in space. Even if it was a Xeno construct it was a wonder to behold. Even more amazing was the fact that inside the ring was a completely inhabitable ecosystem, as though it were a planet. The Techpriests had not deigned to explain what this structure was, or why they were so interested in it.  
  
But for some reason they called it 'Halo'. When Vilintium pressured them for a reason as to why they called it that, the Techpriests merely said that they had no say in the matter, then bowed their heads. Such an act meant one thing... The God-Emperor had decreed an expedition to this structure, and the title it held. Vilintium had asked no more questions after that. The God-Emperor's will be done.  
  
Vilintium caught movement from the corner of his eye. He looked around and saw another of the Imperial Guard transports boosting towards the ring. He had found it puzzling that so many troops had been marshaled for this expedition. No conquest was involved, and surely the presence of two Space marine battle barges and five strike cruisers would be more than enough to deal with any resistance....  
  
But the Techpriests had called for nearly one hundred regiments to be assembled. Along with an epic number of support units and equipment, more than those available to Lord Solar Macanius during his great crusade, all this for a single world.  
  
Vilintium shook his head. He did not ask questions of the God- Emperor's divine plan. He merely did his duty as it was called for.  
  
"Solar Admiral?" A voice called from behind him. He turned slightly and saw the twisted form of a Techpriest standing behind him. He looked more machine than man. Nearly half of his face replaced with implants, the twisted façade of his skull covered with a hood. His right arm ending in a metallic claw that bristled with probes and feelers, only his left hand remained a human hand.  
  
"Yes Techpriest?" Vilintium said.  
  
"We have run into.... difficulties." The Techpriest said slowly, his voice held a grating mechanical texture, much like the machines that he oversaw.  
  
"What kind of difficulties?" Vilintium asked not turning around to face the cyborg.  
  
"An Xeno presence has been detected on the surface of the construct."  
  
"Your point being?" Vilintium asked.  
  
"We require the presence of the Blood Angels on the surface, along with a larger number of troops in certain areas to sterilize the infected portions."  
  
"And why can't you merely bombard them with viral bombs and fusion ordinance?" Vilintium asked, taking out some of the rage he felt for being forced to watch these priests.  
  
"There is vital information in the afflicted areas and we need it intact."  
  
"I see. Well, carry on." Vilintium said.  
  
"Oh, I was not asking permission Solar Admiral. I was merely doing a courtesy to inform you." The priest said and left the brooding Solar Admiral.  
  
Vilintium snarled as he watched the Space Marine Battle barges and Strike Cruisers boost towards the ring. He returned to brooding as he watched the ring spin slowly in space.  
  
Trooper Brown was not pleased to be where he was. He had been a farmer on Yavrnis 3, tending to his animals and minding his own business for the most part. Until those damn Techpriests had come into the sector a year ago and ordered the Governors to levy troops.  
  
Well, 'levy troops' meant 'levy him', never 'levy somebody else'. The press gangs had come and taken him along with just about every man in the town. They'd had to drag most of the men to the training barracks, no one wanted to go off and fight. Nobody wanted to be drug from their farm, trained to kill, then left on some Emperor forsaken rock for the Throne only knows how long.  
  
But right now he was standing in a trench looking out over a grassy plain along with the rest of his company. His olive fatigues stained with mud, and his black flak jacket boasting a few sticks for camouflage. He grumbled as he shifted and his boots squelched in the mud. It had rained in the morning, starting suddenly and ending suddenly, as though a Techpriest had decreed it.  
  
No one thought about the weather too much, they were worried about what lay at the bottom of the hull across the valley. The small, tomblike entry looked alien and strange. The last squad that had gotten anywhere near it had said that it had some strange Xeno runes on it, nothing resembling High Gothic that was for sure.  
  
But it wasn't the strange runes or construction that had the men casting a weary eye on it, rather it was what poured out of that small tomb.  
  
Strange creatures. They looked like giant flies from back home. Huge bulbous sacks the size of your head, and a probe sticking out the bottom of them. They looked fragile, and they were. But there were so many of them. Pouring out of the entrance with eerie regularity. They had washed over four platoons in about ten minutes before the officers ordered a retreat. Most of the men had run and thrown up a small trench line, but some watched the other platoons get over run.  
  
It was, sickening. The creatures didn't rip apart the platoons like a Tyranid swarm would; no...they washed over the men like a flood of water. Simply covering them in their strange bodies until they stopped struggling. Then the things just swarmed back into the entrance, leaving a few of their forms clinging to every one of the soldiers.  
  
Brown had wanted the sergeants to order the bodies torched right then and there. But he'd held his tongue. He wished he hadn't. About an hour after the things had left the bodies had started to...change. Bloating and morphing as though something had been growing inside of them. It was disturbing to watch, but the soldiers couldn't look away.  
  
It had gone on for three more hours...before...before they started to get up. The infected soldiers had shambled at first. Uneasily and weakly, but with a few steps they acclimated and then reformed to attack the trench line. The officers had been too shocked to say anything. But the living Guardsmen in the trench line hadn't needed an order to shoot the abominations as they marched towards the entrenchments.  
  
The las fire had been heavy, and those things had been hard to take down. But when enough las are pumped into something it'll go down. Especially when the Heavy Bolters started clattering late in the fight. That had taken out the rest of the things as they shambled forward.  
  
Trooper Brown shook his head as he clicked another power cell into his lasgun. Whatever those things were he wanted them dead. He rested his lasgun on the edge of the trench line and watched the moth of the tomb.  
  
At around nightfall, the whine of engines could be heard in the distance. Brown turned and looked up to see a dozen lights descending from the sky. He was curious, but thankful. Whatever was coming had to be reinforcements. He might get off this position yet.  
  
As the lights drew closer he began to make out the shapes of the ships. They weren't assault transports that the Imperial Guard used; those were Thunderhawk Gunships, special transports reserved for the best.  
  
The Space Marines were coming.  
  
Brown and the rest of the company watched open mouthed as the dozen ships landed in perfect unison in perfect formation. As one their ramps dropped and the Crimson armored space marines marched out onto the grassy plain.  
  
The Emperor's will be done; those things were going to get stamped out of existence by the Space Marines.  
  
Brother Chaplin Anjek looked around as the men of his company formed up into ranks. His Marines were ordered, disciplined, and a shining example of the Emperor's most loyal servants. Just so long as they didn't have an enemy to face.  
  
The Blood Angels stood ready in their Power armor. The Adumantium plate armor and muscle enhancements making the already formidable warriors massive. Its wearers meticulously maintained the armor and every suit was just as reliable as the day it had been blessed by the Machine God.  
  
The boltguns held by the Marines were loaded and ready, along with a large amount of spare ammunition. Their chainswords were polished and honed, their plasma guns charged, their melta guns and flamers fueled.  
  
A terminator squad lumbered forward. Their heavy assault armor reinforced with extra plates of Adumantium. Heavy auto cannons were mounted on their arms, rapid-fire storm bolters were slung across the chest armor plates. Lightening claws were affixed to the wrists of their armor. These Marines were capable of causing a tremendous amount of damage.  
  
Brother Chaplin Anjek hoisted his Crozus Arcanium above his head and gestured towards the entrance to the tomb. Behind his elaborately decorated skull helmet he grinned in anticipation of the battle.  
  
"Blood Angels! It is the God-Emperor's divine will that we should exterminate the Xeno scum that resides in this place. We shall not fail! By the Blood of Sanglinus we shall not fail!" Chaplin Anjek shouted and every man in the company echoed his words.  
  
"By the blood of Sanglinus! For the Emperor!" They echoed, praising their primarch and their God.  
  
The ordered columns and formations of men marched forward in lockstep. They harbored no doubt in their minds as they marched forward towards the strange tomb entrance. Brother Chaplin Anjek marched at the forefront of the line of marines. His deep black armor adorned with seals of purity and light, elaborate runes were transcribed over the surface of his armor as well. His helmet was an elaborately forged skull death mask of Sanglinus's own skull.  
  
Around him marched his personal bodyguard of ten men of the Death Company. Brothers who had succumb to the red thirst and were waiting for glorious death in battle. Only Chaplin Anjek's presence kept them from storming head long into the alien structure.  
  
Anjek cast a glance back towards the Thunderhawk Gunship and saw the Techpriests still waiting at the vessel. Chaplin Anjek cast a grim look back at the Techpriests. He did not enjoy taking orders from the Adeptus Mechanious. But they were brandishing orders that could possibly come from the God-Emperor himself, and such orders could not be ignored. To do so would invite the taint of Chaos.  
  
Chaplin Anjek turned his attention back to the Xeno tomb. They were rapidly approaching it.  
  
"Scout squads forward." Chaplin Anjek voxed as he stopped in place, at his command twenty men marched forward. They wore lightweight scout armor, a combination of Adumantium plate and the lightweight flak armor of the Imperial Guard. They were armed with boltguns, assault shotguns and auto guns, along with that; each man carried a power sword or a chainsword. These men were trained to scout out enemy positions and relay the information to their Captain. They were highly adept at close combat and showed no mercy and gave no quarter to their foes.  
  
"Brother Kirel. Take your men into the structure and investigate the Xeno presence. When you make contact with them, engage and call forth your battle brothers." Chaplin Anjek ordered the other Marine.  
  
"Yes, Brother Chaplin." Kirel said with a nod. He turned and motioned for his men to enter the structure. The men fanned out with their weapons ready. They hungered for battle. The moved quickly, and surprisingly silently for such large, heavily armored men. Soon, they disappeared into the structure.  
  
Brother Chaplin Anjek heard his guard shift uneasily around him.  
  
"Do not worry brothers, you shall have your chance soon enough." Chaplin Anjek said aloud.  
  
Brother Kirel led his men through the Alien construct with diligence and caution. Blood Angels were never timid in combat, but these creatures warranted some degree of prudence in action. He moved slowly, the presence of his squad a comfort to his nerves. His boltgun was leveled at the hallway before him.  
  
He paused he had heard something.  
  
Something was tugging at the edge of his hearing. It was a shuffling sound. As though something were being dragged slowly.  
  
"Do you hear it?" Brother Kirel said. His squad nodded in agreement. Kirel looked around with his boltgun leveled. This vaulted corridor did not give much cover for them, or something sneaking towards them.  
  
"Brothers! There!" Brother Justin shouted and fired his autogun. The overpowering thunder of his squad opening fire soon drowned out the shouts of the men. Autogun clattered as they let loose a torrent of slugs. Assault shotguns thundered as they sent out the rapid-fire charges of flechette and slug rounds. Boltguns let out the crack-whoosh as their rocket-propelled projectiles flew forward and detonated.  
  
All this fire was directed at the end of the corridor where a flood of the strange xenos was coming from. The clatter continued for a good half hour, and most of the men were low on ammunition. Kirel voxed the main force and told them he'd made contact with the enemy. After five more minutes of furious fighting, the vanguard of the troops made it to the embattled scout unit.  
  
The terminator squad let lose with their autocannons, scything the alien forms to pieces through the torrent of shells. More boltgun fire and flamers decimated the aliens as they surged forth with mindless determination. The firefight pushed forward, simply slaughtering the xenos as they charged.  
  
It was a very brutal slaughter and entirely one sided. The Blood Angels had nothing to worry about as they marched forward through the halls and chambers of the xeno structure. They left a trail of green gray blood in their wake as they moved, the pathetic creatures simply crushed beneath their armored boots.  
  
Brother Chaplin Anjek emerged in the lowest level so far encountered in this structure. It was massive with a multitude of levels and passages that seemed to stretch through the entire planet. He had ordered the Imperial Guard units to move into the secured areas and hold them since his Blood Angels were getting spread thin.  
  
He glanced about the chamber he had arrived in and was shocked at the size of it. Stretching high above him and far below him was a massive shaft. It seemed to stretch on for infinity. High above clouds could be glimpsed inside the immense structure. He stepped further forward along the walkway towards the platform before him. Surrounding this suspended platform was a massive hologram; it appeared to be of the world they were on.  
  
Chaplin Anjek contained his awe at the breathtaking sight. He could not help but gawk at the spectacle.  
  
"Call the Techpriests. Inform them that we have found something they may find...pertinent." Anjek said still examining the chamber itself.  
  
High above Brother Chaplin Anjek's squad, Solar Admiral Vilintium continued his silent observations of the world. He had not moved from his spot on the bridge. So far, nothing had happened at all to make him want to move from this spot. Those Throne-damned Techpriests still ordered his fleet and men around. So he had nothing to do.  
  
His eyes drifted from the immense ring, to his fleet, and then back to the ring itself. Vaguely, he wondered if his fleet held the firepower necessary to tear the ring asunder.  
  
He was goaded from his daydream by the metallic clatter of his comms servitor. The human skull hovered above him and chattered in barely passable High Gothic.  
  
"Dauntless scout ships report a strange energy signal emanating from the planet." The Servitor chattered from its skeletal jaws.  
  
"Report!" Vilintium barked to his bridge crew.  
  
"My Lord. Several energy pulses have been sent from Halo into a coalescing point in the center of the ring. The logic towers have no clue as to the purpose." One of the ratings on the bridge replied.  
  
"Order all ships to battle stations, seal bulkheads, raise the void shields and run out the guns. All hands prepare for battle." Solar Admiral Vilintium ordered, a hunger in his voice. He looked out the bridge and saw white pulses being fired from the inner perimeter of the ring. They all seemed to collide in space and began to form a shimmering white sphere. The size of the energy sphere had to be immense, even from this distance it was massive.  
  
"What is that?" One of the bridge crew murmured.  
  
"Mind your station." Vilintium snapped, slightly thankful the rating had said what he was thinking. The Solar Admiral stood firm and watched the energy sphere slowly increase in size, then shudder. In a heartbeat it disappeared and in it's place were roughly thirty ships. Their largest was barely the size of a Mars class battlecruiser. Their sleek lines seemed to have no weapons systems at all. They appeared to be no kind of Imperium vessel.  
  
"Report! What type of ships are those?" Vilintium snapped, he had never seen any kind of vessel that resembled those ships. They resembled the carapace of some exotic insect in color. Their shapes were much too sleek, even Tau or Eldar vessels were not that smooth in shape.  
  
"Unknown sir, they don't match any type of vessel we have yet encountered. They're nothing that has seen the divine light of the Emperor, that's for sure." A rating said.  
  
"Order the fleet to stand fast." Vilintium said.  
  
"Sir, we're receiving a transmission!"  
  
"Broadcast it over the bridge speakers." Vilintium said.  
  
"Your destruction is the will of the Gods, and we are their instrument." The voice came over the speakers, eerily calm and artificial. As though a servitor had uttered the phrase.  
  
"Blasphemy! These creatures dare speak of false gods before the shining light of the Emperor? May our weapons bring his eternal vengeance upon them!" Vilintium snarled.  
  
"To war!" Vilintium howled.  
  
Ship Master Guole 'Pushmanem stood upon the command bridge of the Resilient Duty. His golden armor glinted in the artificial lights of the bridge and the shimmers of the display units. His bridge crew of veteran elites preformed admirably in their duties, despite the odd orders the Prophets had given him and his fleet. From he had seen and experienced the prophets had deciphered the meanings of the Forerunner's HALO construct. He had been told that he was embarking on a new crusade to further the divine light of the Covenant Hegemony.  
  
All he saw was that he had been taken from the battle against those near sentient primates and was thrust into an entirely different campaign.  
  
All 'Pushmanem cared about was whether he and his fleet would have any form of glorious battle and honor in this galaxy. The humans had barely proved sporting, relying on sheer numbers to defeat the Covenant forces arrayed against them.  
  
He snarled at the lack of entertainment such battles provided; the humans were still slaughtered in droves for their slightest victories.  
  
'Pushmanem sighed and gazed back at the main display that showed the exterior view of the ship. Right now it was awash with white light from the Halo's transport system. As he watched the light flared and dissipated in his view screen.  
  
Replaced with the view of a massive enemy fleet arrayed against him. He let out a small grunt of surprise. His bridge crew jumped into their duties without being prompted.  
  
"The vessels seem to be transmitting on the same bandwidth as the humans from home, and in the same language. But the vessels do not match any Human ships we have ever encountered." Arit 'Olamenete said from his post as comms/sensors.  
  
A million questions suddenly filled 'Pushmanem's mind.  
  
Could the Humans have made it here first?  
  
Could the Humans have created new classes of vessels without the Prophet's knowing of it?  
  
What should he do?  
  
Shoot first, let others sort out the details.  
  
"Broadcast the message of their defeat to them. Then order the fleet to battle stations. Give them permission to fire at will. Let us eliminate this annoyance." 'Pushmanem ordered. His crew snapped to attention and carried out their combat duties.  
  
"Solar Admiral, the heathen Xeno fleet seems to be powering up some sort of shielding systems. Along with other systems we are at a loss to identify." The sensor Lieutenant said shakily.  
  
"Order first squadron to come about and give the lead xeno vessel a broadside. Hit them hard and we'll see how well their shields work." Vilintium said with a sick smile. The comms Lieutenant relayed the orders and four vessels broke from the screen. One Gothic class cruiser, two Tyrant Class cruisers and a Dictator Class cruiser sped forward. Their plasma drives glowing a brilliant purple in the darkness of the void.  
  
The four vessels moved in perfect unison, their flight path carrying them across the prows of the enemy vessels. The four vessels turned and presented their formidable broadsides to the enemy, and then in unison fired.  
  
The Lance batteries of the Gothic Class Cruiser Yvarnis were first to impact. The large crimson spears of energy darted through space and splashed onto the enemy ship's prow. The energy hit and dissipated along the strange, shimmering shields that the alien ships had. They were clearly not void shields. The xeno's shields shimmered and weakened with the energy onslaught. But they remained, weakened, but still present.  
  
The brother pair of Tyrant Cruisers fired their salvos in unison. The wave of heavy rounds sailed through the abyss of space and smacked into the xeno shields. The range was greater than that of the normal batteries of the rest of the fleet, but they packed just as much punch as any other ships broadside power. The torrent of fire hit and overloaded the xeno's shields. They flickered and died as some of the rounds penetrated and punched into the hull. The massive rounds tore immense gashes in the hull; two punched clean through the prow and holed the ship straight through.  
  
The final deathblow came from the Dictator class cruiser. Normally the dictator class served the role as a raider ship with its fighter wings. But it could still cause havoc with its broadside cannon. The final salvo fired from the Dictator class ship Operian hit along the spine of the ship square amidships. The hail of fire ripped apart the strange alien metals and tore the ship asunder in space. Small secondary explosions played across the hull of the stricken ship. One of the shells punctured a plasma reserve, sending a brilliant gout of the blue white material spiraling off into space, and spinning half the ship like a giant top. As the explosions tracked up the rear portion of the hull and arrived at whatever heretical power source the xenos used. It detonated with a brilliant nova flare and shockwave.  
  
Solar Admiral Vilintium smirked as the first kill of the engagement fell to the Imperium of Man. These xenos had chosen the wrong place to appear, and the wrong God to usurp.  
  
'Pushmanem stared at the tactical readout in a state of pure shock. The Glorious Fervor had simply been annihilated without firing a shot. They hadn't even had time to maneuver. The human salvos had hit in precisely the right order to decimate the vessel's shields and overload them. If the data was to be believed, the humans had utilized a form of projected energy weapon. They had never shown they had the ability create or use such weapons.  
  
He was simply aghast at the prospect of the situation.  
  
"All ships fire at will. FIRE NOW!" 'Pushmanem shouted at the top of his lungs. His fleet had to avenge the loss of the Glorious Fervor, and recoup its honor.  
  
The remaining twenty-nine Covenant vessels fired their salvos of Plasma in unison. The guided orbs of superheated plasma flew through space towards the Human fleet. Ten of the Plasma orbs tracked on the four vessels that had fired upon the Glorious Fervor.  
  
The four ships went into emergency maneuvers to shake off the slow moving plasma, but were rudely surprised when the attackers changed their directions to follow the fleeing ships. There was no escape for the ships.  
  
The Gothic cruiser Yavarnis took four plasma orbs all along its port side. It's port gun decks were vaporized in a split second, for the most part the crews of the lance batteries didn't know what hit them other than the intense heat for a few moments. The Yavarnis could still limp away, and tried to maneuver to present it's starboard quarter to the enemy.  
  
The Tyrant cruisers each took two orbs of plasma. The Tiller took one orb on its dorsal decks and gutted the lower levels, but it was mere cosmetic damage. The ship could still fight. This was untrue in regards to the second orb. It struck close to the armored prow of the ship and burned clean through. The massive armored ram of the ship hung limply to the rest of the body. The Tiller would not be capable of combat without being rebuilt.  
  
The Tyrant cruiser Turner took one orb in its port gun batteries. The plasma burned away the Adumantium reinforced gun decks like snow before a flamethrower. The orb stopped burning midway into the ship. The second orb smashed into the aft quarter of the ship, severing the plasma drive conduits and sending the ship adrift in space. It was out of the fight.  
  
The Dictator Cruiser Operion received only one orb of plasma, despite its prominent role in the destruction of the Glorious Fervor. The massive orb of plasma hammered into the upper flight decks of the ship that were reserved for the Imperium bombers and fighters. The ships and crews were vaporized before they even had a chance to run. But regardless of this damage, the Operion could still maneuver and fight as normal.  
  
The remainders of the enemy plasma orbs raced towards the Imperium fleet and were defeated by the point defenses and void shields of the human vessels. Such distances and defenses overcame the control the Covenant had on their weapons and the plasma began to dissipate.  
  
Solar Admiral Vilintium was torn between sorrow for the loss of such fine crews and the defeat of the xeno weapons. He scowled and pointed at the enemy fleet.  
  
"All escort ships are to enter standoff range and bombard the enemy with long range salvos. Core ships; fill ahead and into the jaws of these xeno heretics. Let us ram the might of the Emperor down their throats so they choke on it!" Vilintium ordered.  
  
The three battleships and the twelve battlecruisers that made up the core of the Imperium fleet leapt forward in space and drove forward into the conflagration of xeno vessels, their prow torpedoes firing and slamming into the xeno vessels. The escort vessels branched out and began firing salvo after salvo into the enemy vessels.  
  
It was fast and it was brutal. The Covenant weapons couldn't recharge soon enough to battle the charging ships, and the pulse lasers were too weak to stop the epic vessels. The fifteen-ship core of the Imperium force slammed into the ranks of the Covenant fleet.  
  
The battleships and battlecruisers fired volley after point blank volley into the weakened xeno forces. Shields collapsed, vessels were destroyed in seconds under the onslaught. The much larger Imperium ships rammed some of the smaller, weakened, Covenant vessels.  
  
In the space of half an hour, the battle was over. Five Imperium ships were damaged in addition to the four of first squadron. The Mars class battlecruiser Hibernia was destroyed when it took a plasma orb to its warp drive. The ensuing explosion took the xeno ship with it into the immaterium of the warp. One of the Covenant vessels had been boarded by the ratings of the battleship Heroic death. A teleport assault coupled with assault boats had placed enough ratings, stormtroopers and Imperial Guardsmen aboard the ship that the defenders were crushed by the waves of human attackers.  
  
The battle for Halo was over for the Imperium of Man. It had been a stunning victory over the Covenant fleet that had been sent on a crusade to their galaxy.  
  
They had fared much better than their cousins from across the stars. But they were not the only ones to face a Covenant force.  
  
Keep your eyes open for the next chapter:  
  
Chapter 3: The Republic science expedition. 


	4. Chapter 3: The New Republic Science Expe...

Chapter 3: The Republic Science Expedition.  
  
New Republic Nebulon-B Frigate 'Fearless' Deep space near alien artifact called 'HALO'  
  
Captain Usiral looked at the main display screen that showed the massive ring that they had entered orbit around three days ago. The Mon Calmari officer was still in awe of the sheer size of the structure. Of course, the Death Star had been as large, but still, this ring seemed to present no threat. It looked like a peaceful ecosystem was inside it.  
It was hard for Usiral to think of any kind of threat coming from the massive ring.  
"Sir, sensor scans for the fifth section come up negative." The ops officer said after examining the most recent sensor reports.  
Usiral nodded.  
"Understood Lieutenant. Well, continue scanning." Usiral said. He turned his command chair about and looked at his charges. Resting off his starboard quarter were four New Republic science vessels. Two had already headed down to the planet below to conduct excavations and study the ecosystem on the world.  
Most surprisingly was a small YT-1300 transport ship that had recently headed down to the world. The transport itself wasn't the interesting part; the six Jedi aboard it had been the interesting part. More interesting was the fact that the Jedi had been the ones to commission the science expedition. They'd come to the Senate and requested a scout team be sent to investigate an, 'ancient construct' as they had put it.  
The scout team had discovered this ring world that the Jedi had referred to, as 'HALO' no one had understood why the Jedi called it halo. But the scuttlebutt through out the research fleet was that some ancient Jedi records had been found by Master Skywalker himself, and that the Jedi were very interested in this world. That was something that surprised everyone that heard the rumor.  
Normally the Jedi spent their time avoiding direct influence in Galactic affairs.  
Usiral shrugged. It was not his place to understand what the Jedi wanted with this world. His job was to defend them, and their expedition.  
"Sir, Sensor scans for all sections come up negative." The ops officer said.  
"Very good, concentrate scanning on the sections the science team ordered us to scan now. Apparently this 'Flood' isn't present on this planet." Usiral said. He wondered what exactly the 'Flood' was and why the Jedi were so concerned. But he dismissed the thought whatever it was; it wasn't present on this planet. The information they'd been instructed to find.  
"Yes, sir." The ops officer said and returned to her scanning. Usiral looked at the Bulk freighter that held four companies of Naval troopers. It was changing course and heading towards the planet. Along with the other science vessels, it was going to be landing on the world.  
Usiral looked at the giant ring as it spun slowly, effortlessly in space, and wondered why the Jedi were so concerned with it.  
  
New Republic Science team Alpha Surface of construct called 'HALO'  
  
Leedo Mitval was a scientist, not a construction worker. The Rodian was grumbling under his breath as he examined the rock fall that was blocking the massive ancient doors. The group of ASP-7 droids that were under his control were working on hauling the debris away. The droids were good for menial, mindless, backbreaking labor that cropped up in excavations. Leedo looked at the modified ASP-7 droid that served as the 'brain' of the team.  
"Unit. Order the team to concentrate on this rock fall. It seems to be unstable from the previous excavations." Leedo said.  
"Affirmative." The droid said and the others moved to work. Leedo glanced down at the rest of the pyramid the expedition team was working on. The large construct dwarfed the two science ships that were landed in the valley in front of it. He looked down at the small encampment at the base, and the other science personnel at the base and among the many-tiered levels.  
The surprising part was that this was inside an immense cavern. The ships had enough space to maneuver and fly through the tunnel network and down into the structure of the construct itself. It was an immense chamber, larger than the Great hall of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. There was easily enough space to fit a pair of Star Destroyers in it. Mitval looked at the long tunnel that led to the surface. It was so deep underground and there were so many turns to the tunnel, there was no way for someone to see daylight.  
But that wasn't a problem. There was a massive artificial sun set into the cavern ceiling that cast a warm glow down on the science team and their ships.  
"Mitval?" His comlink chirped. Leedo reached down and held it up.  
"Yes Rigel?" The Rodian asked of the lead researcher.  
"The Jedi are curious as to our progress." Lead Researcher Rigel asked.  
"Slow. Perhaps if they would use their vaunted force powers to assist us we could make the progress they wish for." Leedo said.  
"I've already asked them. No, we're stuck using the ASP droids." Rigel said with a chuckle over the comlink.  
"Figured as much. Well, tell them that we're going to be breaking through this rock fall in about half an hour." Leedo said.  
"Thanks Mitval."  
  
"It will be another half hour before we break through the final rock fall. Although I don't know why you're so intent on excavating here Jedi Master." Rigel said to the Jedi that stood before him.  
"I understand, Head Researcher." Jedi Master Lo'val said quietly. His hood was drawn back from his head. The Tei'lek nodded solemnly. His lekku twitched slightly.  
"If you would assist, the progress would proceed faster." Rigel said. The Jedi padawan next to Lo'val shifted slightly, but remained still.  
"I have made our stance clear researcher. We shall not interfere with the progress. It is a science expedition and we would not want to cause any undue damage to the research." Lo'val said and nodded again.  
"Of course." Rigel said.  
"If you would excuse us." Lo'val said. Rigel nodded and returned to overseeing the construction of the camp. The Jedi Master and padawan walked away from the others.  
"Master, why are we here? Surely our skills could aid the progress of the science expedition." Jedi Padawan Osarka said. The green skinned Duro was new to the Order, but a deep thinker and scholar.  
"We need to avoid direct influence in this expedition." Lo'val said.  
"Why did Master Skywalker send us along with this expedition, all six of us. A master, two knights, and three padawan, that seems to be a large number for a science mission." Osarka said.  
"Master Skywalker said that this construct, had harbored both a great power and a terrible plague. The Jedi of the Old Republic came here and destroyed the Plague. And they made sure that this place was not on any chart, except those kept by the Jedi archives." Lo'val said.  
"So, if this Plague was destroyed, then why are we here?" Osarka asked.  
"The Power still remains here. And we were sent to discover the purpose of that power. If it represents a threat to us, then we are to try and contain it." Lo'val explained.  
"But if this place was hidden, then why would Master Skywalker risk its discovery again?" Osarka said.  
"I have long since ceased trying to understand how Master Skywalker makes his decisions. But they have long proven to be the right ones." Lo'val said. Osarka did not continue his questions. The two Jedi walked off towards the pyramid. It was a long walk to the top, even for a jedi.  
  
New Republic Fleet Regiment 1348 Surface of construct called 'HALO'  
  
Captain Merrywehther had been ordered to fortify his company on top of a butte that the Commanding major had called 'Strongpoint 1'. It was at the mouth of the long tunnel that lead down into the ring. The butte had sheer slopes and was a wonderfully defendable position. It commanded enough area that any attack would be seen coming from a fair distance. Along with that, the sheer slopes made it so that any assault had to be dropped onto the top of the mesa, or hike up the paths around it.  
He was supervising the entrenching of his forces along the top of the cliffs surrounding the base. There was ample space to set up his forces without worrying about being closed in.  
His troops had made use of the position and the buildings already in place to create a defensive bulwark that even an AT-AT assault would quail in fear of. He smiled as his men and women worked feverishly to establish their position. The General had ordered them to be ready for an assault. Whether or not it was going to happen was another matter.  
Merrywehther cast a glance back at the tunnel. The other three companies were working to entrench inside the long twisting cavern that led to the science team. If anybody wanted to get into the tunnel, they had to batter their way past his unit.  
  
New Republic Nebulon-B Frigate 'Fearless'  
  
"Sir! I'm reading an anomaly in the sensor data." Ops said.  
"What?"  
  
"It's an energy spike emanating from, several different points on the planet. Wait, the points are coalescing into the center of the ring!" The Ops officer said and pointed out through the main view port.  
Usiral looked at the spectacle. It was odd, seeing the white bursts of energy hitting an amorphous blob of white, seething energy. It was slowly expanding.  
"Raise shields, all hands to action stations." Usiral said. His officers complied with his orders immediately. He watched as the orb expanded for a few more seconds, and then dissipated.  
"I'm reading five ships in the location previously held by the energy orb. They match no known ship design encountered." Ops said.  
"Heat up the weapons and launch X-Wings. Prepare for combat. Comms, hail them." Usiral said.  
"Comm channel open sir."  
"This is the New Republic Frigate 'Fearless'. I am Captain Usiral. Please identify yourselves and state your intentions in this system."  
"Your destruction is the will of the Gods, and we are their instrument." Was the only message received before the shooting started.  
  
Covenant Destroyer 'Quiet Service'  
  
Ships master Ajat 'Olamntee was silent as his ship emerged from the transit orb and rematerialized in normal space. He was just as silent when his bridge crew announced that there were ships in the system, that they were not human, but nonetheless spoke the human language.  
His only words were to broadcast the human message and open fire.  
That was all. The Gold clad elite said nothing else for the remainder of the battle.  
  
New Republic Nebulon-B Frigate 'Fearless'  
  
"ENEMY VESSELS FIRING!" The Ops officer shouted.  
"Evasive! What are they shooting?" Usiral asked looking at the five massive orbs that were rapidly approaching.  
"Appears to be some sort of disruptor or plasma weapon." The ops station replied.  
"Weapons, return fire on the lead vessel. Order our starfighters to engage!" Usiral said.  
"Affirmative sir!" The weapons officer said, as he did so crimson turbolaser blasts began to dart forth from the 'Fearless'. They hit and destabilized the first Covenant plasma torpedo. The other four closed.  
"HELM! EVASIVE!" Usiral barked with uncharacteristic urgency for a Mon Calamari. The 'Fearless' made a steep ascent and three of the orbs missed, unprepared for the rapid maneuvering. The fourth plasma torpedo hit in the engineering section, it smashed into the shields. They destabilized for a moment, and then dissipated the torpedo.  
"Fire on those ships!" Usiral said.  
"With pleasure sir."  
  
X-Wing fighter, 'Lolibell' Red squadron  
  
Wing Commander Logan was psyched for battle. His squadrons hadn't seen a good fight in a long time, this was just what he and his pilots needed for a good shakedown.  
"Green Squadron; prepare to hook left around their fleet. Blue Squadron; hook right around their fleet. Red squadron; let's smash down the center on their fleet. Gold squadron; follow up on us, you B-Wings will be able to smack these boys pretty well. " Logan said. He heard the acknowledgements as his pilots lined up for battle.  
"Red 1, this is Red 5, we've got incoming fighters. Some sorta funky teardrop shaped things. They've got lasers and they've got shields though. Little better than Tie fighters." Red 5 said.  
"Okay, then same formation, let's smack their fighter wings then."  
"Lot more fun than hitting ships. I likes a movin' target." Blue 1, his second in command said.  
"Let's get some kills folks." Red 1 said and kicked his engines to full.  
The three squadrons of X-Wings flew with skill wrought of fighting in a war for a very long time. The Covenant pilots hadn't faced any kind of opponents that could last long enough to hurt them. But these X-wings could, and proceeded to cut a swath through the Covenant Fighters. Both sides had energy weapons, and they had shields. But better pilots flew the X-wings.  
The Covenant fighters broke their formations in a desperate attempt to swamp the enemy with spacecraft. But it was to no avail. Within a scant fifteen minutes the entire force had been wiped out.  
"That was fun. Could they have made it any easier? Rookie Tie pilots perhaps?" Blue 3 commented.  
"Now, now, it's the thought that counts. They tried to send a fighter screen against us." Green 2 said with a laugh.  
"Stow it, let's get it on and clobber that enemy fleet." Logan said reorienting his ship on the enemy vessels.  
"Which one?" Blue 1 asked.  
"Well, let's go after that big one at the center. Looks like a command ship." Logan said, when in doubt hit the big one.  
"Alright. Let's have some fun." Blue 1 said.  
The X-Wings lined up into their formations with experience garnered from many such attacks. They dodged and weaved around the point defense weapons of the enemy vessels. Their speed and maneuverability better than those of the enemy's weapons.  
The three X-Wing squadrons swooped in with finesse and precision. They launched volleys of Proton torpedoes into the prow and flanks of the large ship that seemed to be in command of the enemy fleet.  
The glowing blue-white projectiles slammed into the energy shields around the Covenant vessels and collapsed them quickly. After the silvery energy shield dissipated, the torpedoes began to send blossoms of fire across the hull.  
As the X-wings began to peel off for another run, the B-wings made their run. The lumbering heavy starfighters were specifically designed for anti-ship missions. They disgorged their payloads of Proton torpedoes along a small target box at the spine of the ship. They continued to harry the vessel with Ion cannon fire, playing havoc with the electronics and control systems of the vessel.  
The X-Wings lined themselves up for another torpedo run and emptied the remainder of their munitions into the vessel. Even after sustaining such a massive pounding the vessel wasn't destroyed. It still managed to maneuver slightly.  
  
New Republic Nebulon-B Frigate 'Fearless'  
  
"Taking evasive." Helm said again as he maneuvered the 'Fearless' to dodge another plasma volley. Three of the orbs missed due to the erratic dive, but two slammed into the command section. The shields held for the most part, but one orb's remnants made it through the shields and began to boil away some of the armor.  
"Hull breaches, decks two, three and four." Operations said and began to seal off decks.  
Usiral scowled. The Fighter squadrons were hammering the enemy ships, but they only had so many torpedoes. The 'Fearless' couldn't withstand the enemy barrage. It could barely fire from its maneuvering.  
"Comms, send a message to the research teams telling them we're with drawling. We'll try to bring back reinforcements soon. But we can't maintain this battle. Helm; prepare to make the jump to Hyperspace. Starfighter command, order the fighters to jump to hyperspace as well. We'll rendezvous in orbit around Dantooine." Usiral said.  
There was silence on the bridge.  
"Now." Usiral said with soft fury.  
  
Covenant Destroyer 'Quiet Service'  
  
Ships Master 'Olamntee watched his displays with calculated silence.  
"Lord, the enemy ships are withdrawling." One of the elites said.  
'Olamntee nodded. He was silent for a number of factors. Foremost was the glaring inability of his fighters to deal with the enemy single ships. He would have to report that to command. Right now the only thing keeping the 'Honorable Goals' together was the diehard labors of it's engineers. The withdrawal of the enemy forces would be welcomed.  
The second most prominent feature of this battle was the fact the enemy employed energy weapons. That was amazing. Couple that with their shielding systems, and their FTL capabilities of even their fighters made this very unusual.  
This was strange. The enemies were not all humans, but they spoke the human language.  
"Order the ships to prepare to land and investigate the Forerunner construct." 'Olamntee said.  
"My lord." His bridge crew responded.  
The massive Covenant ships moved towards the ring as the New Republic vessels withdrew from the fighting.  
  
Strongpoint 1 HALO Construct  
  
Captain Merrywehther had his men entrenched and ready. His heavy weapons commanded the approaches to the cavern, although he wasn't as happy with his position now. He felt very exposed. Even though his men could make it into the cavern, it was across about a mile of open terrain with no cover. If they had to fall back they'd be slaughtered.  
He hadn't been concerned with his position until he'd been told that there were enemy forces in the area. Now he was concerned. He'd seen the space battle earlier and was worried. The enemy ships had come down into the atmosphere and were setting something up. Scouts reported that large, no, massive amounts of troops were being assembled.  
That was five hours ago. Now he could see the enemy force-marching towards his position. That was very bad. He could make out the enemy through his Marco-binoculars. There were so many of them it was impossible to count. From tall, sauntering humanoids, to small scuttling creatures with breathing apparatus. Even strange birdlike creatures, there was a diverse army marching on his position.  
Merrywehther sighed, he was confident he could hold his position against those numbers for about two to three hours. After that he would be running out of blaster gas and energy for his weapons. Then it would be hand-to-hand.  
He silently wished the Jedi were out here, but instead they were inside with the scientists.  
"Sir! Look!" One of the troopers said and pointed. He looked and saw what looked like a swarm of insects descending on their position. He raised his binoculars and examined the black dots. They weren't dots. They were aero fighters and transports. Hundreds of them, and they were closing on the butte fast.  
"Order all forces to be ready." Merrywehther said solemnly. The orders were shouted out amongst the men. He hunkered down in the nearest weapons put and watched the approaching aircraft. They would hit first. Maybe a half hour later the enemy ground troops would attack, and then they would push into the caverns and face those forces.  
Merrywehther knew his forces wouldn't stop this horde of enemy troops. But he would sure as hell try. By the Force he would try. He and his men waited for the first ships to arrive. It was maddening, knowing that your death was coming, but you couldn't do anything other than wait for it.  
It was an hour, an entire hour before they attacked. The aircraft had waited until the ground forces had gotten close enough before attacking. They wanted to simply overwhelm the forces there with numbers.  
But Merrywehther had been ready. He had two Anti Aircraft emplacements set up with light blaster cannon. They opened up on the enemy ships as soon as they were in range. The smaller 'fighter' craft had gone down quickly. But the strange U shaped craft had taken quite a beating. A rolling volley of Apex inscisor anti aircraft missiles had taken down a good number of them. But it wasn't enough. The transports landed and began disgourging their forces amongst the Fleet troopers.  
It had turned into a pointblank firefight from the moment the battle had begun. The enemy forces trying to swamp the New Republic forces with sheer weight of numbers, but being beaten back by E-Web repeating blasters and light repeater fire. Most of the enemy forces were killed but regardless of the slaughter, more and more transports continued to land on the mesa.  
Slowly but surely the Fleet troopers were being forced out of their entrenchments. There was no stopping the Covenant horde as is pressed forward.  
Merrywehther centered his defenses on a small compound of structures at one end of the mesa. It commanded the two ascent points up the mountain and had good lines of sight. Of his four platoons of Fleet troopers, he'd lost two in the defense. His remaining two reformed and dug in at the compound. The remaining two E-Web blaster emplacements were set up along with the remaining light repeaters and grenade launchers.  
It had been over an hour of heavy combat and night was falling. The Covenant assault slackened for the most part, but took another platoon with it during the final phase. Merrywehther had one platoon left, about 25 men and a handful of wounded. The Covenant waited for about two hours until night had fallen before launching their final assault upon the beleaguered defenders of the butte.  
The assault was made up of troops from the top of the butte and others from the plain in a two front assault. The tide of Covenant swept up and over the remaining defenders, killing them to the last man. Merrywehther was the last defender of the butte to die. He remained defiant throughout the entire siege, and died firing at the enemy until an Elite's plasma rifle ended his stubborn defense.  
Merrywehther and his company were slaughtered, 102 defenders of the butte had taken over 700 Covenant soldiers with them and destroyed 15 Covenant Drop ships and 47 Banshee fighters.  
The Covenant held their positions for roughly an hour before pushing forward into the caverns.  
The Covenant push into the caverns cost them even more than their assault on the butte. The Three companies of Fleet Troopers that were dug into the caverns gave the Covenant nine kinds of hell as they pushed forward. Two of the Companies were annihilated at the cost of 204 men. But almost three thousand covenant troops lay dead for those 204 defenders. But regardless of the horrific losses by the attackers, they pushed forward, a massive weight pushing forward against the defenses. Spurred on by their proximity of the control center, they pressed forward.  
  
HALO Control Chambers HALO Construct  
The New Republic Science team had excavated the entrance to the Control center, and was working feverishly to find some way to halt the enemy attack. They were desperate, and were trying to do something, anything to stop the slaughter. The remnants of the last Fleet Trooper Company had set up inside the massive entrance to the Control center. The Jedi were also ready for a fight. They were ready to mount the last line of defense for the defenseless scientists.  
Even as the Covenant attackers battered their way into the command center entrance hall, through the immense doors, the Jedi were calm. The Covenant tide washed over the final, last line of Fleet troopers and then charged the Jedi.  
There were six Jedi. One Jedi master, Two Jedi Knights, and three Jedi Padawan.  
There were six thousand Covenant. One thousand to one.  
The Covenant didn't stand a chance.  
  
Jedi Master Lo'val stood calm. His lightsaber ignited and it's green blade held ready before him. Jedi Knight Ewellle, the human was calm as well, her blood red sabers both held steady, one high, one low. Jedi Knight Oviedo was a ZeHebra, his black and white fur rippled slightly as he twirled his double bladed saber staff in an intricate patter, it's blue light making erratic shadows. Jedi Padawan Osarka stood with his saber raised before him, it's purple blade cast an odd glow over the surroundings. Jedi Padawan Newman stood with his single yellow bladed saber in an odd cross body guard. Jedi Padawan Gordon waited with his orange blade held behind him.  
The Jedi stood.  
Before the six of them, the Covenant warriors paused as they finished the remaining Fleet troopers. They halted as they watched the strange warriors stand fearless before them.  
A low battle cry rang up from the Covenant. It was strange and alien, a warble as it gesticulated and morphed in tone as they charged.  
The Jedi stood.  
The Covenant flood stampeded forward. Some of the slower ones being crushed by the larger, faster warriors.  
"Feel the force." Lo'val said.  
The Jedi moved.  
It was a flash of motion and twirling sabers as the six Jedi made their move and attacked. The Covenant were confused by the sudden, unexpected flurry of movement. Lo'val stepped back, braced and gestured with his hand. He channeled the force and used it as a brute force weapon to batter the advancing covenant line back slightly. He charged forward into his disoriented section and his saber sliced and hacked apart the enemy with the utmost precision.  
Jedi Knight Ewellle made a dash forward into her section. One of her sabers thrown ahead of her, cutting a path through the covenant, mowing them down like brush. Her other saber parried the plasma bolts fired at her. She skillfully directed one back into the faceplate of an Elite, sending a gout of purple blood spraying fourth.  
Jedi Knight Oviedo leapt in a high arch over the approaching horde. His Zehebra muscles augmented by the force he was carried far into the mass of Covenant. His saber staff flashed and darted about with a fury of motion and light. Each swing, each movement simply disemboweled or decapitated a foe.  
Padawan's Osarka, Newaman and Gordon simply charged forward into the same section, swinging away as they charged. They relied on the sheer shock of being charged by three opponents with swords so fast to take care of their opposition. It worked. The Covenant soldiers that attacked them were simply mowed down by the Jedi.  
The Jedi continued with their grim, systematic slaughter of the Covenant forces for over an hour. The bodies of the Grunts, Elites, Jackals, even Hunters piled high enough that their brothers had to climb over the mounds to attack the Jedi.  
The walls were covered in blood, as were the Jedi. Their robes soaked with Purple, blue, and orange blood from their fighting. It was too much; the Covenant did not give up. They merely paused for reinforcements before throwing themselves at the Jedi defenders once more.  
The Jedi were about to break.  
Until reinforcements arrived.  
  
New Republic Assault Carrier 'Generous' Far Orbit, HALO construct.  
  
Captain Usiral's mission for reinforcements was very fortunate. The Assault Carriers 'Generous' and 'Steadfast', along with the Dauntless Cruiser 'Liberty' had been on their way to reinforce the Research group at HALO. The Force was watching over the beleaguered defenders.  
They had jumped in system with the 'Fearless' and prepared for a naval engagement. But the enemy vessels had landed and disgorged ground troops. The Gunners on the 'Fearless', 'Generous', 'Steadfast', and 'Liberty' had no qualms about hitting ships that couldn't shot back.  
The four vessels reduced the Covenant fleet to ashes from orbit. With the destruction of the Covenant fleet, their ground forces were efficiently eliminated by a Wookiee assault Regiment and Six Army regiments. The HALO construct was declared secured.  
  
The New Republic had fought it's first battle in their war with the Covenant. And they had nearly lost. They fought the Covenant face to face, although, the Covenant were targets for others who preferred, discretion in their battles.  
  
And they preferred their trophies to winning engagements.  
  
Keep a sharp eye for Chapter 4: Hunting the Hunters. 


	5. Chapter 4: Hunting the Hunters

Chapter 4: Hunting the Hunters  
  
Covenant SuperCarrier 'Kindred Gallantry', In formation with Covenant armada at Fleet Depot in Deep space, Exact coordinates unknown  
  
Ships Master Ilamine 'Eliantraint was supervising the overhaul of his vessel's main power systems. The Prophets had decreed that every ship in the fleet be overhauled and readied for the most glorious crusade yet undertaken. Such forces were being amassed around the Battle Station 'Longstanding Valor'. Over four hundred Covenant vessels were being primed and readied for the assault upon the human homeworld, and the greatest of the Forerunner's artifacts and relics that were there. The primates had no idea of the power that they sat upon.  
'Eliantraint was slightly annoyed at having to spend so much time overseeing repairs to systems he didn't even understand, but the Prophets had said to undertake the repairs, so he oversaw the repairs. Even though it was completely pointless for him to be present. They were docked at the 'Longstanding Valor' there was no need for a crew to be on the ship, period. But they were still there, mostly because of the panic the Prophets had gone into when the humans had destroyed the 'Unyielding Hierophant'. 'Eliantraint cursed the humans that were called 'Spartans' they'd taken far too many good warriors to their deaths.  
The Gold clad Elite was rather bored, he partially wished for a change of pace, for something interesting to happen, anything other than this dull repair supervision. He shoved aside an engineer as it floated into his way. The bulbous multi tentacle creature warbled at him, then returned to it's hovering about, looking for repairs to carry out. Even the Engineers seemed to be rather bored with the duty, and that had to be saying something since the creatures lived to do repair work on even the smallest, most insignificant device.  
"This is the Ship Master. I am returning to the Command Center. Is there anything to report?" The towering armor clad alien said as he turned and began to make his way up from the crowded engineering levels towards the more traveled areas of the ship. A squad of grunts paused to let him by. The tiny creatures bowed their heads to the semi-divine being that walked before him.  
"Nothing my Lord. But, there is a small malfunction in cargo bay AA94. It seems as though the atmosphere in the bay has changed from the normal levels. There's increased humidity and temperature in the bay." The ops Elite said over the com channel.  
'Eliantraint shrugged to himself as he walked along.  
"Tell an engineering team to meet me at the bay. I'm passing it on my way back up. I shall check it out." 'Eliantraint said.  
"There is no need my lord."  
"Hardly, I need something to do before I start carrying out target practice on Grunts that get in my way." The Ship Master said with a laugh. The ops Elite joined him for a moment. 'Eliantraint ran a loose ship. He did not maintain the high level of discipline maintained by other Ship Masters. He understood that there was a time for duty and a time for relaxation.  
Being in the middle of the largest Armada ever seen and under the protection of a Battle Station seemed to be a time for relaxation for the most part. 'Eliantraint passed a camouflaged Elite. He nodded, and couldn't tell of the other Elite returned the gesture. It really didn't matter. Although it was odd that the Elite had his optical camouflage on inside the ship while they were docked. Well, those Elites did have their eccentricities, half of them thought they were being watched, the other half knew they were paranoid. But they came through in a pinch, and that was all that mattered. The Gold clad elite turned a corner and walked past a security team of jackals and grunts, overseen by a blue clad elite. The team saluted him as he passed. His men were lax at times, but they were good fighters and could hold themselves well in combat if needed. His ship was one of the largest in the fleet, and could take on any human fleet it came up against.  
What could happen when they were docked with the armada?  
  
Hijande breathed a small sigh of relief as the Covenant 'Elite' passed by him with a simple nod. There was a distinct danger in walking through the corridors of these Covenant ships. They were well illuminated and uncluttered. It was hard to hide. But the Covenant possessed the same optical camouflage that the Yautja had, and that made an even more effective cover. If they were seen, hunters could pretend they were actually Covenant. But that seemed to take some of the fun from the hunt.  
Hijande shrugged it didn't matter if the prey discovered the wolf in their midst, it was too late. Especially since this soft meat was unawares of the hard meat eggs sown in their vessel. Hijande stifled a laugh as he thought of how soon these ships, and their station would be overrun by the hard meat. But there was still ample time to gather trophies from these Covenant ships.  
The Yautja were depressed to learn of the coming extinction of the oomans, but the Covenant appeared to be worthy prey to replace them. Even though Hijande was saddened at the loss of the old prey, he had led the hunting parties to hunt the Covenant armada that was arrayed against the ooman homeworld.  
The oomans had been such interesting prey, and the rumors of their 'Spartans' had piqued the interest of many a hunter. Such a trophy would be treasured more so than that of a hard meat Queen.  
Hijande refocused on his hunt. He leapt up into an access crawlway and headed through the ship. He had not yet struck on this vessel. Other hunters had taken trophies from throughout the Covenant fleet, but this ship, and the battle station were the hunting grounds of only a few prestigious veteran hunters. The Hard meat and soft meat mixing in this environment would prove to be a thrilling hunt.  
The hunter made his way through the access way and through the ship, completely undetected. He moved towards what he'd decided was the command center of the ship. It seemed to contain the highest ranking of the Covenant forces on the ship. After crawling through the bowels of the ship for what seemed like hours Hijande arrived at his perch. It was an access panel over the main command deck.  
  
Operations Elite Zuchuck 'Kidnande was minding his station with semi diligence, conversing with his fellow Elites as he worked. There wasn't much for he and his colleagues to do at the moment. Though he and the other Elites wanted a battle. They didn't enjoy standing around the bridge, killing time and imaginary targets in sims. They wanted a real fight.  
"This is a waste of ti-" Qutra 'Niminatar started from his post at the weapons station before he was interrupted by the sound of the grate that covered the access panel above them being kicked out and clattering to the ground.  
"By the Prophets, what is that?" 'Kidnande asked looking up. He saw the wavy outline of a camouflaged Elite drop down into their midst.  
"What do yuughargh-" 'Niminatar croaked and was cut off as a long, barbed spear slashed out and impaled him through the throat. A spray of purple arterial blood and the Elite dropped.  
'Kidnande was about to sound the alarm when a pair of blades scythed out from the camouflaged figure and decapitated him. The spray of purple coated his screens and coated the alarm button he was struggling to reach for in his own blood.  
  
Hijande reveled in the battle. The first Elite hadn't even had time to face him before it had died. The second had recoiled and tried to sound an alarm, but it was dealt with. That left four.  
Hijande spun and crouched the wicked blade on his staff whipping around and chopping into the leg armor of one of the Red armored Elites. The prey howled and tried to bat away the sharp implement. It drew its plasma pistol and fired wildly. Hijande ducked and dodged as he brought the blade around for another blow. It connected cleanly with a linkage in the armor that held the forearm and upper arm armor plates together. The Elite's weapon went flying, along with its right forearm. It howled and lunged forward in rage. Hijande sidestepped and sunk the spear into the back of the Elite as it passed. The armor splintered and broke with a spray of blood. The Elite fell, twitched and then lay still.  
Three more.  
Hijande back pedaled as one of the Elites charged him, swinging it's weapon like a club. The hunter blocked the blows with his staff, then brought the weapon smacking into the faceplate of the Elite. The Blue armored opponent fell back, stunned. And was stunned up until the moment that Hijande's spear impaled it to the console behind it.  
Two more.  
Hijande activated his wrist blades and lept at the black armored Elite before him. His hands were straight out, wrist blades pointing like daggers. Hijande had turned himself into one massive javelin. The force of the massive hunter slamming into the smaller Elite sent the black armored warrior flying back off the platform, a smear of purple blood trailing behind.  
One more.  
The predator turned slowly as the remaining elite stood there. It held one of its plasma pistols ready. Hijande charged again. The elite fired, Hijande feinted and dodged the volley of plasma. He sidestepped and yanked the weapon from the Elite's grasp, along with its trigger finger. The elite howled for a few moments, before Hijande's firm grasp ripped of its head.  
Hijande roared in triumph of his victory. Six trophies taken from one battle, all with his spear, wrist blades, even his bare hands. He had gained much honor from this fight. He let out a wide mandibled grin and laughed in a deep-throated impersonation of an ooman laugh.  
He set about skinning his kills and hanging them from the ceiling. It took a mere fifteen minutes. No one bothered to check in on the Command center for half an hour. Someone would come soon. He ignored the sounds of Covenant language that crackled from one of the consoles. He was done here, and it was too late for any aide to come for the bridge crew.  
With a smug expression and six fresh skull trophies Hijande returned to the access tunnels to seek more prey. He left behind the skinned, dripping bodies of his prey as a message to the primitive creatures.  
Now they were being hunted.  
  
Cargo Bay AA94  
  
'Eliantraint stood before the immense doors that led to the cargo bay. The engineering team had arrived shortly after he had, and were trying to open the door. Something behind it had jammed the pressure door shut. That had piqued 'Eliantraint's interest enough to make him call down a security team. The Grunts, Jackals and Elites had arrived quickly, spurred on by their commander's grim tone.  
  
"Ops, this is the Ship Master, can you scan the inside of the bay?" 'Eliantraint said over his comm. He was greeted with silence.  
  
"Ops? Are you there? This is the Ship Master to the Command Deck, anyone respond." The Gold armored elite asked. He scowled, yes he led a laid back ship at times. But his crewmen did answer him when he called upon them. Perhaps there was a communications problem.  
  
Yes, that was it, a communications problem.  
  
"My Lord, the door appears to be jammed shut from the other side." One of the Blue armored rookie Elites said.  
  
"Really? I had no idea. Is that what's happened to the door then?" 'Eliantraint snapped, his tone rife with sarcasm. He glared at the elite. The younger warrior turned away and faced the door again.  
  
"Go to one of the other access ports and open this door from the other side." 'Eliantraint ordered the security team. Two of the Jackals nodded and set off, along with four of the grunts. The other two Elites stood by the door, their plasma rifles held loosely. 'Eliantraint suddenly wished he had retrieved his own plasma rifle from his quarters before touring the engineering decks. He felt slightly unprepared with only a pistol and his energy blade.  
  
"Command deck. Respond." The Ship Master prompted again.  
  
Something, unsettling was going on.  
  
Command Center, 'Kindred Gallantry'  
  
Ilantrak waddled his way through the command deck of the ship with his squad behind him. He was stuck on security patrol again, just like he always was. Typical, grunts always got the boring, tedious jobs. Just as his kind had been used as cannon fodder by the Prophets, so too did they get treated poorly out of combat.  
His squad had just finished most of the Command deck and had headed for the brig; they had to pass through the Command Center first. He led his small unit through the armored bridge doors and into the heavily armored control center.  
They scampered quickly, not too interested in drawing the attention of the Elites that manned the bridge consoles. The bridge crew did not take such interruption of their work lightly, and grunts were quick to feel their wrath. The grunts scurried along with their eyes latched firmly upon the far door. If they didn't make eye contact with the Elites, there wouldn't be any trouble.  
Ilantrak felt his foot land on something slick. He looked down and saw a pool of purple blood. He yelped loudly and his entire squad froze, terrified.  
"Look!" Higrnat barked and pointed to the command platform. Ilantrak saw the five, hanging, skinned bodies of the command crew dangling from the ceiling. The skins of all five were draped over the consoles like some sort of fabric; their armor was piled neatly beside each hanging corpse.  
Ilantrak stood frozen in place.  
"Wh-What could have done this?" Jilantrain said, he was the bravest of the group and was walking up the ramp to the command platform. His plasma pistol darted around rapidly; giving away his so called 'bravery'.  
"I, I don't know. Humans maybe?" Higrnat said, even though the suggestion had little basis in fact, the other grunts still trembled some at the thought of humans aboard one of their ships.  
"No. Couldn't be. There were six Elites here. How could they take down all of them without a single injury to them." Ilantrak said, unfreezing himself as he followed Jilantrain up the ramp. He gazed at the skinned bodies dangling from some sort of blue bulbous line that was sunk into the ceiling with a barbed spike. It was as though the bodies were being displayed for pride's sake.  
"We-we-we needs to t-tell some one." Gilreantik said sounding panicked, he hadn't moved from his point at the base of the ramp. Perhaps he was the sanest out of the entire squad.  
"Good idea." Ilantrak said. He headed over to the blood drenched operations station, wiped some of the purple spray off of it and hit the alarm button. A dull, rumbling klaxon bellowed throughout the corridors of the SuperCarrier. Within a few minutes, multiple groups of Elites had converged in the bridge, and they were just as horrified with what they saw as the lowly Grunts.  
"By the Prophets. What could have done this?" Quit 'Jintnatne asked, his black armor shifting slightly as he shook inside it. His plasma rifle was gripped in his gauntleted hands as tightly as he could hold it.  
"I do not know. I do not know." The Red armored elite Olot 'Trintanitme said as he examined the dangling corpses. His mouth clicked open and shut nervously. What could take down five Elites without leaving a trace?  
The security parties in the Command Center all heard the deep, rumbling roar that resounded through the access corridors, and into the Command Deck. It overshadowed the sounds of the general alert klaxon.  
The occupants of the Command Center all felt their fear spike at the sound, be they Grunt, Jackal, Elite, or even Hunter.  
  
Cargo bay AA93, 'Kindred Gallantry'  
  
'Eliantraint listened to the sounds of the general alert klaxon bellow through the corridors of the ship. He fought the impulse to head to the Command Center. Right now he had to deal with this problem first.  
"My Lord, the team has reached the other side." One of the lower Elites said.  
"And?" 'Eliantraint asked.  
"The Jackal says that there is some kind of, organic growth in the bay. He can't tell us much more, the lights in the bay are out." The elite said.  
The Gold armored Ship Master growled. He did not like this. General Alarms were being sounded, and there was some sort of organic growth in a cargo bay. He'd also lost contact with his bridge crew.  
This was, unsettling.  
"Can they clear it away and open the door?"  
"They've nearly finished Lord." The Elite said, and as he finished, the doors ground open slowly. As they slid apart, a few glistening drops of water fell from the tracks. A light fog drifted out from the bay as the doors opened. It was very hot and humid inside the bay.  
The dim glow cast from the Jackal's shields did little to cut through the hot, damp gloom of the cargo bay. The light that emanated from the corridor cast a ghostly column through the corridor.  
It was an eerie sight.  
Tendrils of strange, black material curled up through the bay, covering the walls and columns, growing over the vehicles and cargo containers contained inside the bay. It had turned the familiar lines of the bay into something, alien.  
Even with the dim light that came from the hallway, it was easy to see that the growth had probably covered the entire surface of the bay. Whatever this stuff was, it had spread quickly, very quickly.  
"How long has it been since this bay was last used?" 'Eliantraint asked one of the Elites. The blue armored warrior lifted up a small data unit and examined it.  
"Three days Ship Master." The Elite said.  
"All this in three days?" 'Eliantraint said, flatfooted by the statement. This stuff had grown quickly, too quickly.  
"My lord, look there." One of the Jackals said and pointed across the bay. The growth seemed to be much in that corner. As though it had grown upon itself there.  
Several strange objects rested upon the growth. Strange ovoid shapes resting upright in the darkened recesses of the bay. The mist that had formed around the growth seemed to flow from the area the things occupied. The dim glow from the jackals shields made the bay seem much more eerie and imposing than it was. Especially the strange orbs that rested in this corner.  
A scuttling sound came from somewhere high above in the multi leveled cargo bay. The entire team snapped their weapons up above their heads.  
"What was t-th-that?" One of the grunts asked, trembling in his diminutive boots.  
"It, it sounded like some sort of insect, a large insect." The youngest elite said, his plasma rifle scanning.  
'Eliantraint felt something flutter deep in his gut. Something as strange and alien as this cargo bay had become. Something he had rarely felt.  
It was fear, tugging at him.  
A deep, overpowering baseless fear of what was in this bay. Something that he knew was somewhere inside this bay, something Alien, something horrible.  
In the background he heard the general alert Klaxon and glanced back at the brightly lit hallway. He half considered heading back to the Command Center to find out what had happened, leave this to the security team.  
Until something large and black darted past the brightly lit doorway.  
'Eliantraint raised his pistol in a second, and then triggered his plasma sword in the next second. He barked a warning to the others and the security team pivoted their aim towards the door.  
The Ship Master went over the image again in his head. It was, a biped slightly larger than an elite. It had spines running along its back and long, barbed tail that trailed behind. Its head was elongated, and judging from the fleeting image, it boasted a set of mandibled jaws. It looked like some sort of massive insect that had mutated. Even though it had been backlit by the corridor lights, 'Eliantraint could tell it had dark black carapace armor that was tinged with purple.  
It had been some sort of nightmare that children had-  
-but made tangible, very, very tangible.  
"Gah! Look Ship Master!" A jackal named Kiy said, he was pointing to the pillar they were standing next to. The Jackal backed away hurriedly and tripped over one of the 'roots' that was covering the floor. The Jackal lay sprawled on the floor, it's beak snapping open and closed soundlessly, it's plasma pistol pointed up at the column, the orange energy shield covering the black growth in sickening colors. The light had been much too dim to see it before, but now, with the bright blue of 'Eliantraint's plasma sword bathing the area in blue white illumination, they saw it.  
A pair of elites, their bodies held up against the wall by the strange organic growth. Near the feet of the suspended corpses laid the body of another elite. All three of the Elites had their chest armor burst outward, as though something had exploded out from inside them.  
"What in the Prophets name?" Uio said as he stepped forward to examine the corpses. His energy shield was held before him protectively, his plasma pistol tucked around one of the firing loupes at the side. His avian like head darted about looking in every direction at once.  
"Something is very wrong. We must go and get reinforcements." One of the Blue armored Elites said. 'Eliantraint silently agreed with the younger warrior. He motioned for the others to follow him from the bay, they were all too happy to oblige. The Gold armored Elite walked towards the suddenly, very inviting light of the hallway. The steps of the others sounded hollow on the decking, they mixed between soft squelching noises on the organic growth, and clangs from the deck plating.  
They didn't drown out the rustling noises that were getting louder and louder. The group of Covenant warriors was nearly to the exit when they heard the final, most terrifying noise.  
The hissing.  
They were standing just beneath the ledge of the level above. The hiss emanated from above them. A snake like hissing noise, like a warning for an unwary creature to back away quickly, unfortunately the Covenant didn't get the warning. None of the Covenant could see what was making the noise, but that didn't stop them from snapping their weapons to a ready position.  
"What is it? It's maddening." The young elite said his voice etched with fear and dread. The party of warriors stood there, waiting for something to happen.  
And it did, faster than any of them could react it did.  
There were three of the creatures. The first stood on the ledge above, hissing to draw their attention. It was a simple ploy, but surprisingly original for the creatures that were carrying it out. Considering that most considered the Xenomorph to be little more than a galactic cockroach. But they were survivors, and they knew how to ensnare prey.  
The other two struck with lightning fast precision. They swooped in from behind. Their positions concealed by the darkness and the walls of the hive. They leapt into the midst of the Covenant patrol. The first to drop was the Elite wielding the plasma sword. Somehow the creatures knew it to be the most dangerous. It received a strike from the bug's tail that paralyzed the warrior. The sword clattered to the deck and deactivated, the loss of light diminishing the ability for the others to fight.  
The second to go were the Jackals. They were stunned as well. Their viability as incubators not diminished by their size. The bugs weren't as picky when it came to incubators. They were dropped quickly and silently, their energy shields deactivating and drowning the Grunts in darkness.  
The poor, defenseless grunts were taken down with the utmost speed. Compared to the Elites, there was no contest. Not a single shot rang out from one of the Covenant soldiers during the entire 'battle'.  
The three bugs affixed the Covenant warriors to the walls of the new hive and positioned the eggs beneath them.  
'Eliantraint groggily wished that he hadn't asked for something interesting to happen.  
  
Ships Master Ilamine 'Eliantraint had the dubious honor of playing host to the new queen for the Xenomorph colony. His last view was of the four petals of the egg unfurling and the praetorian facehugger leaping from it, and latching onto his face. No one heard the Covenant warrior's screams as he was turned into little more than food for the rapidly growing queen inside him.  
  
Covenant Battle Station 'Longstanding Valor' Command habitation levels  
  
The 'Longstanding Valor' had been thrown into a state of upheaval. Along with the rest of the Covenant armada, nearly every ship was reporting strange occurrences. Almost all of the ships were reporting the brutal murder of high-ranking personnel, and a large amount of lesser ratings slaughtered as well. Many of the higher ranked Covenant commanders began to speak of assassination plots. This immediately spurred most of the Covenant High command to increase their security details.  
Which proved woefully ineffective when four of the six Fleet Masters of the Armada turned up dead, skinned and decapitated; along with the entirety of their security details. The wholesale slaughter of grunts and Jackals was one thing. But the murder, and seemingly ritual skinning of the high commanders sent shockwaves through the entire Covenant command structure.  
These foes seemed to be capable of striking at will, without being seen, heard or sensed by any warrior. It was taking a massive toll on the morale of the Covenant forces. Even the most veteran and skilled Elites traveled in groups. The Grunts and Jackals traveled in hordes. No one was safe within the fleet. Not the lowliest Grunt, not the most high-ranking Elite.  
There was no safe haven.  
And it wasn't just the murders and the slaughter. More and more soldiers were disappearing. At first the missing soldiers were confined to the 'Kindred Gallantry'. No one could figure out what was happening to the soldiers. Some speculated that the Grunts, Jackals, Elites, and even the odd hunter, had simply decided to 'take some time off'. But that didn't make sense. Many thought the murders and the disappearances were connected.  
The disappearances were mostly contained to the SuperCarrier 'Kindred Gallantry'. For the most part, security details were expanded and more troops placed aboard the ship to figure out what was going on.  
They too disappeared.  
Then the disappearances began to spread. First to the Battle Station, then to the other ships moored there. The Prophets ordered all the ships to remain docked to the station and practically quarantined the entire station until they could figure out what was going on.  
Strange reports filtered up to the High Command of obscene, alien forms being spotted in access corridors and sub engineering levels. Coupled with odd, alien growths spreading on the 'Kindred Gallantry'. By this point the 'Kindred Gallantry' had turned into something akin to a black hole, soldiers and warriors went into the ship, they didn't come out.  
The Covenant commanders were mystified by the bizarre occurrences aboard their ships. They couldn't figure out what was going on.  
They didn't know they had been reduced to prey and food by two of the most deadly races in the universe.  
  
Hijande finished gutting and skinning a pair of hunters he had just killed. The brood pair had proven to be an invigorating challenge, especially with just his spear. Orange gore coated the floor, walls, and ceiling of the passage he was in. The vaulted ceiling was just high enough for him to suspend the two kills from. Hijande smiled at the kills he had accumulated so far. So many of the Covenant warriors had fallen. It had been like shooting hard meat with burners, it was beginning to lose the thrill it normally held.  
Juhanii stepped from a side passage. Hijande recognized his hunting partner from his diminutive size and stature. But the bigger Yautja had long learned never to trifle with his partner. The smaller Juhanii had long made use of his talents for unarmed combat; no other warrior dared challenge him in the brawling rings aboard ship, lest they wish to be severely beaten and humiliated.  
"Killed two more I see." Juhanii said as he examined the massive skinned forms that dangled from the ceiling.  
"Yes, and I see that you killed two of those new creatures." Hijande said nodding to the new skulls. The Brutes proved to be formidable new prey. Strong and very fast, they were much more adgile than the Hunters, and much tougher than the immense warriors.  
"I decided to take them on with my hands. I needed a thrill." Juhanii said with a throaty human laugh.  
"So I see." Hijande said with a cackle.  
"I shall see you back at the ship at the end of the hunt then." Juhanii said. Hijande nodded and his hunting partner disappeared. Normally the term 'hunting partner' merely meant that you traveled with the other Yautja. The Yautja rarely hunted in pairs since trophy hunting was for honor, and split honor was no honor at all. Most of the time, hunters rarely saw their hunting partner.  
Hijande finished his skinning, then returned to his hunt. He headed up towards the Command decks. Another Gold helmeted skull from an Elite would be a good trophy for his wall, a good addition to the two already there.  
The hunting was thick here. Many of the veteran hunters had taken more skulls in a month than they could take in years of hunting ooman. And even the rookie hunters that had come for the blooding rituals had begun to hunt the Covenant.  
So much blood, so many trophies, so little time to hunt.  
Hijande headed up towards the higher decks, skillfully evading seven different Covenant patrols. It was easier than hunting rodents when he was a suckler. The more frightened the Covenant got, the more reckless they became. So unlike ooman. The more frightened an ooman became, the more violent it became. That was a good hunt. If you killed enough of these Covenant, they became so frightened they made mistakes.  
Hijande sighed as he walked. The extinction of oomans would be a dark day for the glory of the Hunt. Such a worthy prey, snuffed out all too soon. Hijande almost felt sorry for the young warriors that would never get a chance to hunt such wonderful prey.  
But, the natural cycle must go on. The ooman had been the prey of the Yautja for so long, and now the Covenant would become the prey. So it would carry on as nature intended.  
Hijande avoided another patrol and slipped into the Habitation levels undetected. He moved down the corridors towards the end. Outside one of the doors stood a pair of Black armored Elites with plasma rifles. They shouted challenges at him and brandished their weapons. They thought he was one of them.  
How wrong they were.  
Hijande struck before either knew what had happened. His spear flashed out and decapitated one in a swift motion with a spray of blood. His right foot snapped up and planted itself squarely underneath the chin of the other Elite, snapping its head back and breaking it's neck in one motion. It dropped to the deck, dead.  
The Yautja stepped through the door and came face to face with the personal bodyguard of the Commander; a pair of Hunters. Hijande laughed loudly at the sight. The pair he'd just slain hadn't been too much trouble. Nor would this pair pose a threat.  
The brood pair leveled their all too powerful fuel rod cannon at the shimmering outline of the Yautja hunter and fired in unison. They weren't taking chances; smearing one camouflaged Elite across the deck plates would be less tragic than the death of another high commander.  
The two glowing green projectiles seemed to sail lazily through the air, a contrast to the rapid movements of the predator as he darted out of the path of the projectiles. They sailed out of the chamber and into the hallway, detonating on the far wall in vivid green explosions. As the single hunter moved through the room, the Hunters adjusted their aim and fired again at the glimmer of optical camouflage. But missed as the attacker dodged again. The Hunters gave up on trying to hit their target with their cannon, they charged forward. Hijande was ready.  
The Predator knew the weaknesses in the seemingly invincible warriors. Their shields could deflect bolts from his plasmacaster with ease. His disc actually skipped off their armor plating. They were massive and well armored, and immensely strong. An unwitting foe would be smashed to a fine paste if they didn't know how to battle them.  
Hijande had learned the glaring weakness in the mighty warriors. Their armor was thick, but their skin was thin. That weak spot on their backs, uncovered by the armor was vulnerable to even the weakest weapon. Along with the natural gaps in the armor plate, there were a multitude of ways to deal with the  
The first Hunter lunged forward, it's shield coming up in a massive sweeping arch. Hijande backpedaled and stepped out of the line of attack. The blow from the shield missed cleanly. Although he had to duck to avoid the razor spines along the back of the Hunter, they could chop him in half easily. The second Hunter tried to smash him with the same shield bashing attack. But Hijande dodged it cleanly.  
The Yautja wasn't intent to spend all his time dodging though. As the Hunter passed by, he lunged with his wrist blades and aimed for a small sliver of orange skin that was visible between the monster's forearm and the gauntlet that held the fuel rod cannon. The curved razor fine blades darted out and connected with the small point with practiced ease. They cut through the skin and left the gauntlet land on the deck plates with a smack.  
The Hunter howled in a bestial cry of pain and anguish as orange blood spurted from the stump of its right arm. It whirled and tried to charge Hijande again, but missed as the faster Predator sidestepped.  
Hijande stooped down and scooped up the fallen weapon, and arm. He examined it for a microsecond. Then, he grabbed a fistful of the protruding tendons and muscles, leveled the weapon at the wounded Hunter, and yanked hard on the protruding ligaments.  
The fuel rod cannon fired one of its glowing green projectiles at the wounded beast. With a last, mournful howl the Hunter was, dissolved by its own weapon. A splatter of orange gore and the Hunter was no more.  
It's brood mate howled in rage and charged forward again. Hijande spun and threw the severed limb and weapon towards the charging Hunter. It smacked on the side of the Hunter's helmet, but didn't slow the behemoth down. Hijande leapt aside, narrowly missing the scything spines along it's back.  
He drew his spear, aimed and threw it.  
The barbed weapon sailed true and struck at a point just above the shoulder plating of the Hunter, and below the helmet's protection. The spear hit, and plunged into, and through the Hunter's neck.  
It managed a final, warbling cry and fell.  
Hijande retrieved his spear and headed towards the entry to the Commander's quarters. The door slid open and he was met with a flurry of plasma bolts. One came close to his head, but he ducked and avoided the bolts. He looked and saw the Gold armored commander standing at the far side of the room, a plasma rifle clutched in each hand, firing wildly.  
Hijande sighed. Yes, an ooman would have been just as panicked. But it would have aimed better. These Covenant were such easy prey. Hijande charged forward, his wrist blades ready. There was really no sport killing these Covenant soldiers with distance weapons. Only blades could make this kill honorable.  
The Elite kept firing erratically, until his weapons cycled open to cool down. The warrior dropped the useless weapons and drew one of its strange plasma blades.  
Hijande snarled. Finally, these Covenant creatures made a kill honorable. The Predator deactivated his cloaking shield and gave the pitiful Elite a chance to fight. It howled in approval and readied its sword. Hijande let out his own roar and poised himself.  
The Elite lunged first. It's plasma sword cut through the air and aimed for Hijande's head. He ducked and aimed an uppercut at the Elite's head. It backpedaled and the blades missed its face by scant millimeters. The Elite brought its free hand around in a punch and connected squarely with Hijande's head. Hijande stepped back and dodged another sword swipe. He growled and stepped forward. His right leg flashed out and hooked around the back if the Elite's knee, sending it down towards the deck.  
The Elite took exception to that and swung its energy sword again. Hijande dodged, but not fast enough, three of his dreadlocks lay on the deck. The Predator snarled and swung his arm around. His forearm clipped the side of the Elite's helmet and sent it sprawling across the floor. The Plasma sword cut smoking gouges in the deck as it slid.  
The commander shook it's head and stood up, plasma sword still grasped defiantly in its hand. It roared again and charged. Hijande did the same, but instead of meeting the Elite head on he crouched, and tumbled across the floor into the Elite's legs. It had been deliberate, a sparring trick to take down a stronger foe. The Elite somersaulted through the air and landed with a clang on the decking.  
Hijande righted himself and lunged for the killing blow. He sailed through the air, wrist blades out and ready. The Elite tried to get up, it's plasma sword scraping along the deck, but it was too late.  
The Predator landed a killing blow right beneath the Elite's chin. The two wicked blades plunged up and into the Covenant commander's brain, ending his shackles of physical presence.  
Hijande roared in approval as he stood over the dead Elite, this one had proven to be somewhat worth prey.  
  
Covenant SuperCarrier 'Kindred Gallantry' Cargo bay AA93, Nexus for the Xenomorph Hive  
  
The Covenant leadership did not know it, but the 'Kindred Gallantry' had been lost to them. Nothing short of a massive assault would wrest the vessel from the talons of the Xenomorph hive that had taken it over. It had started with the seeding of the Xenomorph eggs inside the cargo bays. But the infection had spread much more rapidly than any of the Yautja hunters had intended. The Hive had been fueled by the multitude of Covenant warriors sent to investigate the ship. The Xenomorph hive had bided its time until they had sufficient numbers to make an assault upon the rest of the Covenant battle station.  
The queen of the hive had made her warriors and drones conduct attacks on only the smallest most isolated bands of Covenant forces, she wanted to keep the presence of her hive a secret until the attack would be carried out.  
The simple fact that the Queen was planning such an elaborate attack meant that the Ship Master had given much more to the Queen's larvae than he wished. This Queen was wise enough to bide her time, to conceal her presence long enough for the hive to establish itself and garner enough forces to mount a serious assault.  
And now it was time to mount an attack upon the Covenant battle station and expand the hive.  
The Covenant high command had ordered the 'Kindred Gallantry' to be placed under guard. The access hatches and passages into the ship had been sealed shut in an attempt to contain whatever had taken over the ship. The Prophets were not keen on separating the ship from the station and loosing all control over the epic vessel. The losses from the assault on Reach and the destruction of the 'Unyielding Hierophant' with its armada had been much higher than expected. The Prophets did not want to sacrifice any vessel that they could still utilize.  
  
The primary access corridor into the 'Kindred Gallantry' was still unsealed. It was large enough for five Wraith tanks to move through abreast. Four shades had been deployed along with a phalanx of portable energy shields. Almost twenty Elites and over a hundred Grunts and Jackals patrolled the access corridor; coupled with ten Hunters it was a formidable defensive position. It was brightly lit and had a high ceiling. There was no cover on the smooth walls and no place to hide. Nothing could make it through this passage undetected, and considering that every other service corridor had been sealed shut or disengaged from the SuperCarrier, there was no way anything could get on or off without being detected.  
Unfortunately for the Covenant, the Xenomorphs weren't intending to remain undetected at this point. The bugs attacked en-horde. There was no subtlety no, no stealth, no creeping, just a single writhing black carpet of warriors as they swarmed out to overtake the Covenant defenders.  
  
The quartet of Shades opened fire, their purple torrents of energy sweeping back and forth across the charging mass of aliens. The rolling fire from the Covenant defenders, causing entire waves of the Xenomorphs to be ripped apart, aided their fire. The acidic blood of the bugs coated the floors and walls, smoldering and smoking.  
But there were simply too may of the bugs for the Covenant to even hope to take down, even with the awesome amount of firepower. For every Xenomorph taken down it seemed as though five more scampered over it's back to attack the enemy. The single minded, simplistic goal for each and every one of the bugs was to find food and incubators for the hive.  
It was a one-sided firefight that the Covenant was loosing, foot by foot the bugs pressed forward. Some began to leap through the air at the ragged line of defenders. The multitude of fire caught many of the flying bugs before they landed, but the acid spray as they were blown apart showered the defenders.  
Howls of pain and anguish as the Covenant armor and shields melted underneath the acidic blood almost drowned out the screeches and snarls of the Xenomorphs.  
Almost.  
The black-purple tide washed over the defenders like the waves of an ocean washing over a sand castle. There was no contest, and no real doubt that the Xenomorphs would win. The still struggling Covenant defenders were drug back into the hive that had once been called the 'Kindred Gallantry'.  
The hordes continued to pour from the Hive, limitless in number, steadfast in that single, all encompassing drive to find hosts.  
That defense had taken over three hundred drones to cross a mere hundred yards of open hallway. Statistically the Covenant had won that engagement, unfortunately, like all that tried to defeat the Xenomorph in a one on one battle, they were doomed to failure.  
The crews of every ship in the Covenant Armada had two choices from the moment the Yautja had decided to prey on their fleets.  
Death for a trophy, or death for incubation.  
No more, no less.  
  
Keep your eyes open for the next chapter.  
  
Chapter 5: Diplomatic Contact with the Federation 


	6. Chapter 5: Diplomatic contact with the F

A great Master Chief moment:  
  
Cortana – "You do know what you're doing? I mean, we're headed straight toward the largest and most dangerous Covenant Ship in this system. I assume this is part of some daring and brutally simplistic plan you've cooked up?  
The Master Chief – "Yes."  
Cortana – "Oh, good. Hang on"  
  
Chapter 5: Diplomatic Contact with the Federation  
  
UNSC Destroyer 'Steadfast', Deep space near Wolf 359 star cluster, The Bridge  
  
The Master chief stood aboard the bridge of the UNSC Destroyer 'Steadfast'. It was surprising that High Command had allowed such an important ship to leave the hastily marshaled defenses for earth. Even more surprising was the pair of Frigates that were escorting the 'Steadfast'. It was a substantial amount of firepower being taken away from the defenses. But Admiral Lucien had said that if the Covenant attacked, the battle wasn't going to be decided by the presence or absence of three ships.  
The detachment had been hastily assembled by High Command and sent off on what could possibly be the most important mission of the war. A mission that could mean victory or extinction for the human race.  
The Master Chief was just as curious about the goals of the mission as the others. He turned slightly, just to reassure that they were there. Fred SPARTAN – 104, Linda SPARTAN – 058, Will SPARTAN – 043. Not to forget himself either, John, SPARTAN – 117.  
Four, out of an original group of thirty-two. Their numbers had dwindled; they'd fought to defend REACH from the Covenant, and had paid dearly for it.  
John shook his head slightly as his mind recalled each and every one of the SPARTAN's that had died. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of sorrow for all of the lives lost, his friends lost. He even remembered the first, Sam, his best friend. All of them, dead because of the Covenant and the war. Kelly, missing in action, she'd been taken by Doctor Halsey for some reason that only she knew.  
But John pushed the sorrow aside; he didn't have the time for it.  
He looked at the slowly spinning ring as it hung in space before the trio of UNSC ships. John felt a pang of hatred for the ring, for the HALO. The last had killed so many good soldiers. The last ring had nearly wiped out all sentient life in this galaxy.  
John shook his head slightly; he'd been feeling guilt and hatred towards the HALO since his harrowing escape from the last. But now, now he had to go back to another, one of thousands of these rings and use it to summon help.  
He sighed; his duty was to the UNSC and Earth. His orders were to take the remnants of the SPARTAN II's on a mission to contact other Human and Alien civilizations and try to gather support for the war with the Covenant.  
Considering the current buildup of Covenant forces, and their knowledge of Earths location, it seemed as though this mission didn't have enough time to get the support it needed.  
John felt as though he'd been sent on a fool's errand.  
  
Captain Hastings stood aboard the bridge of the Destroyer 'Steadfast' and glared at the ring with a nervous anticipation. If the techs were right, if the translations were correct, if a thousand other things were right, then they were about to create an inter-dimensional gateway to another universe.  
'If' played too high a role in this situation.  
Captain Hastings consulted the information that he'd been receiving from the techs on the ring. They'd located the control room and had hooked up four 'smart' AI's into the HALO networks. It had taken a week of constant, extremely complex operations but the AI's had taken full control of the construct's systems. They'd even managed to decipher a massive amount of data that had been contained on the ring.  
"Captain, the AI's report that they are beginning the transport sequence." The Comms officer reported.  
"Keep me informed. Helm, take us into position." Hastings ordered. The 'Steadfast' accelerated towards the indicated point in space. It was dead center in the ring.  
"Transport systems are coming online. Energizing." Ops said.  
Hastings nodded then he clenched his hands together. Right now he was taking his ship into the exact location that multiple beams of an unknown energy. Hastings almost wished he were facing a Covenant force.  
Almost.  
"We're in location Captain, Frigates 'Yuri' and 'Hinesburg' are in position as well." Helm said. Hastings nodded again and glanced at the Spartans. They seemed all to calm for this situation.  
  
"Any idea what's going to happen Chief?" Linda asked over the comm.  
"Nothing good." John said.  
"Did you have any clue that the HALO was anything other than a weapon?" Fred asked.  
"No. Cortana said it was a weapon, not any kind of transport device."  
"That was what Guilty Spark was so concerned with. Eliminating the Flood. He didn't care about HALO's other functions. He was surprisingly single minded." Cortana put in.  
"Well, considering that the Covenant had broken out the Flood, it was understandable." Will said.  
"But, a transport device, capable of spanning interstellar distances. It's unfathomable how it works." Linda said.  
"Yes. I think we should hang on." John said looking out the main viewport. The energy beams were activating, the white bolts of light darting through the vacuum.  
"This should be fun." Cortana said over John's internal speakers.  
"Tell me that when we're finished." John said as the first energy pulse hit the ship, and everything went black.  
  
Federation Sovereign Class vessel USS 'Waterloo' Deep Space Near Wolf 359 star Cluster The Bridge  
  
Captain Gordon Chard looked at the main view screen at the massive ring before his ship. It had been catalogued by a Federation freighter investigating the remnants of the Wolf 359 debris field, leftover from the battle with the Borg.  
The ring hadn't been there then. But it was here now.  
The science teams speculated that the trace amounts of material that lined the hull pointed towards the possibility that the ring had been in the gas atmosphere of the nearby world, then had propelled itself into open space. The preliminary scans done during a flyby by the Defiant vessel USS 'Pawtucket' had revealed an atmosphere and ecosystem along the inner surface.  
Chard couldn't figure out what this thing was. A dedicated science vessel was on the way. But his task force had been diverted from their patrol route. A pair of Defiant class Light cruisers and a Sovereign class Battleship were not the best choices for a scientific expedition. A Nebula class Battle Cruiser would have been better; they were dedicated science ships for the most part. He was on his way to the Neutral zone, and he wasn't pleased with the fact he had to spend his time investigating some strange construct.  
Yes, his curiosity was piqued by the structure, but he had other duties to attend to. Another taskforce needed to be relived. And with the recent ending of hostilities after the Starbase 'Unity' situation, the Romulan neutral zone was a little more active than it should be.  
Whatever this thing was, it wasn't worth his time, and the tying up of his taskforce. What could possibly be worth this much effo-  
"Captain! I'm detecting a spike in energy emissions from the structure." Operations said.  
"Put it on the main screen." Chard said. The image leapt into sharp focus, it was some sort of structure on the surface of the ring. As they watched, an energy pulse gathered and shot into the sky. The image scaled back and focused in on the pulses, they were coalescing in space. Gathering into a large shimmering mass of light energy.  
"Captain, the energy pulse seems to be forming into a coherent wavelength. It's similar to the energy emissions of a transporter beam, but on a much more massive scale. Or, like the energy signature of a Borg Transwarp drive." Operations responded.  
"Tactical, raise shields. Go to Red alert." Chard ordered. As Chard finished his command the lighting on the bridge changed to a muted glow, as the emergency signals started, notifying the crew of the alert status.  
"There appear to be three vessels within the energy pulse, they seem to be wavering in and out of phase with this dimensional plane."  
"What type of vessel are they? Borg? Romulan?" Chard asked, he couldn't rule our any option. It could be the Borg, or it could be some sort of Romulan weapon.  
"Negative sir. The vessels match no known class of ship the Federation has ever encountered." Tactical said.  
"Sir, the energy wave is dissipating." Operations said. On the main screen the energy waves were indeed dissipating. The pulse seemed to fade away and reveal the ships.  
"I am detecting no tangible signs of shields or weapons systems." Tactical said.  
"Open a channel."  
  
UNSC Destroyer 'Steadfast' Wolf 359 System The Bridge  
  
John shook his head slightly and glanced around at the other Spartans, they all appeared to be fine, and their affirmative signals verified the fact. John then glanced at the main screen.  
He froze as he saw the three opposing ships sitting in space.  
This was not good.  
  
"Captain, I am detecting three unknown vessels in space." The ships AI said.  
"All hands to battle stations. Can you tell me what kind of ships these are?" Hastings asked.  
"Judging from the design of them, they are from the 'Federation'. A pair of Defiant class Light Cruisers, and a Sovereign class Battleship. All three ships boast energy shields, projected energy weapons and advanced heavy weapons."  
"So, worse than the Covenant?"  
"Yes Captain."  
"Sir, they're attempting to hail us." Comms said.  
"Put it through. I don't think we'd win this if it came to a battle." Hastings said.  
He looked at the main display screen in front of the command chair. Another human appeared on the display screen.  
"This is Captain Chard of the Federation vessel, USS 'Waterloo'. Greetings."  
"Greetings Captain. I am Captain Hastings of the UNSC Destroyer 'Steadfast'. We come in peace."  
"Well Captain, what are you doing here, and why exactly does your ship not appear on any Federation ship logs?"  
"It's a long story Captain." Hastings said.  
"We have time Captain." Chard replied.  
"Captain, you would find it extremely unbelievable. But if you insist; my squadron comes from another galaxy. We used this alien transportation system to travel here in hopes of finding assistance." Hastings said.  
"Assistance Captain? Assistance with what?" Chard asked.  
"Assistance in preventing out annihilation. Right now the UNSC is losing a war for our survival. We are fighting an alien race known as the Covenant. They have been steadily eliminating human worlds, systematically murdering Billions of human civilians. We came here seeking help." Hastings explained.  
"I see. Well Captain, I trust that you have some form of proof to support your claims?" Chard asked, he sounded skeptical.  
"Captain, our AIs have extensive records of the Human-Covenant war. We also have computer records of what has transpired over the past years of conflict. Perhaps we should discuss this in person." Hastings said. Chard paused.  
"Captain Hastings, perhaps you should consider my position. You just appeared from an alien structure into vacuum. We've never encountered any ships matching the description of your vessels at all."  
"But Captain, as your weapons officer can probably attest, your ships could easily rip ours to shreds. It would serve no purpose for us to attempt to attack you. Especially considering our need of you assistance." Hastings said.  
"I see Captain. I will, allow you to come aboard my vessel, but tread cautiously Captain." Chard said and ended the transmission.  
"Pleasant chap. Chief, I want your team to escort myself and the ambassador aboard the Federation ship." Hastings said. The Master Chief nodded.  
"Sir, I'll have a Pelican prepped for your transit." Operations said. Hastings nodded.  
"We don't want to keep the Captain waiting Chief." Hastings said.  
  
USS 'Waterloo', Wolf 359 System, The Main Shuttle bay  
  
The strange ship flew into the shuttle bay without grace. Its thrust nozzles deafened the occupants of the bay as the ship settled down. It was twice the size of a standard shuttle, but not as sleek. The bulbous protrusions along the wings had been identified as primitive projectile rocket pods. Beneath the chin of the dropship was a multi-barreled projectile cannon; it tracked around the bay slowly. Captain Chard was hesitant to allow such a visibly armed ship to enter the bay, but he really didn't have a choice, it was on final approach.  
The ship settled and the rear of the vessel shifted and a ramp lowered and the delegation proceeded out from the ship.  
At the forefront was Captain Hastings in his gray ship uniform; a few medals were on his chest along with his nametag. Next to him was a man dressed in a dignified looking uniform, but not a military outfit, but closely related to one. A small nametag with 'Bueller' on it adorned his chest.  
Behind the pair of officers marched four, massive soldiers clad in green armor plating. They carried what looked to be projectile weapons and marched with a cautious demeanor that had been wrought of many battles.  
Captain Chard was a little annoyed that the UNSC Captain had brought an armed escort. But he stopped when he thought about the six-man squad of marines he had brought with himself, and the security team in close proximity.  
Chard glanced at the marines. They stood ready in their armored Hazard suits, a design from Lt. Tuvok on the USS 'Voyager'; the suits had become standard issue for federation marines. Each was armed with a phaser rifle. Easily capable of disintegrating an unarmored humanoid, Chard had little to worry about; even if the shortest UNSC trooper stood a foot taller than the largest of the Federation marines.  
"Greetings Captain Chard." Hastings said striding up to Chard. He raised his hand in a salute.  
Chard returned the gesture and then extended a hand to shake.  
Hastings accepted the offered hand hesitantly. He was a soldier, not a diplomat. He'd read the information on the Federation. They weren't a military oriented group; they made combat a secondary consideration on their ships. They didn't seem like a group that would make good allies.  
"Welcome aboard Captain." Chard said.  
"Thank you. May I introduce Ambassador Bueller." Hastings said stepped aside.  
"Greetings Captain." Bueller said and extended his hand. Chard shook willingly.  
"So, gentlemen, we should head to the main conference room so that you can discuss this matter more readily." Chard said. Bueller nodded. He followed the Federation Captain out of the shuttlebay and into the ship.  
The UNSC delegation followed tentatively. They were in 'hostile' territory and they were uncomfortable.  
  
John stood rigid as the ramp at the rear of the Pelican dropship lowered. A small breeze as the pressure inside the Pelican and the Federation ship equalized, then he looked into the bay. He saw the Federation Captain standing there, his red and black uniform looked simple and functional, much like the ship uniforms Naval personnel wore. Te only visible insignia on the uniform were four small pips on either side of the Captain's collar, and a strange badge on his chest. The Federation captain seemed to be slightly uneasy, but he looked as though he took heart in the presence of the six, heavily armed figures behind him. John almost snapped his weapon up, but caught himself before acting.  
They were standing with their weapons in a low guard position; John and the other Spartans mimicked the motion. There was no need for any hasty violence; this was a diplomatic matter right now.  
Instead John studied the armor and weapons of the Federation troopers. He was a soldier; he did have some experience with that sort of thing.  
The body armor that the Federation marines wore appeared to be a full suit of armor; it looked to be as flexible as any cloth uniform, but slightly thicker. In fact, the uniform appeared to be an exact replica of the Captains lightweight ship uniform.  
The Federation appeared to be rather keen on the upper torso color scheme and the black outfit.  
"Interesting, it appears that those suits have an energy field around them." Cortana said over John's com.  
"You mean they have shields?" John asked.  
"Mhmm, I can't tell you much about their armor without some form of more intrusive analysis, but it looks to be an ablative armor that's highly flexible. Along with some form of energy shielding it seems to be very effective." Cortana said examining the armor with the MJOLINR armor's sensors.  
John glanced at the weapons the Federation troopers were carrying. The rifles looked very sleek and had a refined aura. There was no location for a clip to be inserted.  
"Cortana, are those energy weapons?" John asked, already knowing the answer.  
"I believe so. There's an excited photon energy emanating from the weapons. They appear to be much more efficient that any type of Covenant weapon we've encountered.  
"Personal energy weapons, and personal shielding, standard on their troops? I don't think we want to cause trouble." Will said.  
"Just the same, stay alert. We'll let the Captain and the Diplomat sort things out here. But I don't like the idea of being alone aboard this ship." John said. His team's acknowledgement lights winked on.  
John was glad he had his team with him, Cortana included. He had a nasty feeling that something was going to happen.  
John followed along behind the Captains and the Ambassador. They walked out of the shuttlebay and into the bright, clean corridors of the Federation ship. The Spartans walked along the wall on one side of the corridor, the Federation troopers walked along the other.  
John was slightly surprised at the bright, clean nature of the Federation corridors. For the most part, UNSC vessels were designed with structural integrity and counter boarding considerations above neatness and comfort. Most of the time Corridors were both cramped and dark, or had supports and material stored in them. Federation vessels didn't seem to be concerned with such implications.  
The Master Chief checked that line of thought. Just because he didn't see it didn't mean it wasn't there. This ship was completely unlike any he had been on before. For one it had artificial gravity, and it had energy shields in places that UNSC ships used blast doors and hatches.  
"I'm detecting energy emitters placed regularly around the corridor." Cortana said.  
"What kind of energy emitters?" John asked.  
"Some appear to transmit on the wavelength of the Federation shielding, although some seem to transmit on the same principles as an AI holo projector. It seems as though they have AI's just like me." Cortana said. She sounded slightly off put. John ignored it.  
  
The group of officers and guards made their way through the neat and orderly hallways of the Federation vessel. The UNSC group wasn't visibly uneasy, but the lack of any form of identifying markings in the halls made them slightly wary. They had no idea where they were going or where they had been for the most part.  
Captain Hastings breathed a visible sight of relief when Captain Chard led them out of the featureless halls and into what looked to be a lounge area. A long table was sitting in the center of the room; other smaller tables and chairs were laid out around the room. It appeared as though it were a mess area or lounge. But there was no window or door to any form of kitchen. There was some sort of access panels set into one wall.  
"Please Captain, Ambassador, have a seat." Chard said and gestured to the table. Captain Hastings nodded and took a seat, Ambassador Bueller did the same, and the Spartans remained standing. Captain Chard sat down, but the Federation soldiers remained standing behind him.  
"Captain, now if you could please explain what this 'Covenant' is and how it is such a threat." Chard said, his tone held something akin to disdain in it. He did not sound as though he was too concerned with this new threat.  
"Captain Chard, I would ask that you do not take the greatest threat to the survival of the Human species so lightly." Captain Hastings replied coolly.  
"I hardly think that a greater threat than the Borg exists Captain." Chard said his voice holding a similar chill. Both Captains glared at each other. Ambassador Bueller cleared his throat audibly.  
"Gentlemen, if we could move on?" Bueller said sounding very annoyed.  
"Yes, please continue ambassador." Captain Chard said.  
"Thank you Captain. As Captain Hastings stated, the Covenant is the greatest threat that we have yet encountered. They have managed to eliminate over two hundred and fifty human held colonies. The approximate death toll of Human civilians has been impossible to measure. Although last census numbers indicated that nearly eighty billion civilians lived in the outer colonies. The inner colonies boast a comparable amount of civilians. Fleet losses exceed over two thousand vessels, and military losses are estimated at eight million from all branches. In twenty-eight years of warfare we've managed to carry out four decisive defeats of Covenant forces. With every engagement starting with a three to one ration in favor of the UNSC. Covenant forces boast superior technological achievements, looted from what we have come to call the Forerunners." Ambassador Bueller said. He nodded to the Master Chief. John nodded back and reached for the small holo projector that he had been ordered to carry along.  
The six Federation marines snapped their weapons up in unison. The Spartans did the same in response. The atmosphere in the room became very tense.  
"Captain, I wish to display some relevant data." Bueller said. Captain Chard motioned to the marines. They slowly lowered their phaser rifles. The Spartans did the same with their MA5B assault rifles. Slowly, the two opposing sides resumed their guarded stances. John fished out the holo projector and set it on the table. Cortana manipulated the projector and showed one of the Covenant Elites.  
"From what we have learned the Covenant operates on a caste based Religious hierarchy. They are for all intents and purposes fighting a holy war against the UNSC. They're intent on recovering artifacts left by the Forerunners and have the coordinates for earth." Bueller said.  
"Wait. Earth? What are you talking about? These, 'Covenant' have no reason to come here." Chard said.  
"No, not this earth, our earth." Cortana said. She broadcast her image into the Holo projector and stood on the table.  
"Your earth?" Chard said scepticaly.  
"Captain, the UNSC has recovered information from a Forerunner facility just like this one," Cortana said and gestured at the HALO spinning in space outside the windows, "and from what we've gathered, Humanity and a massive number of other alien races were either discovered or engineered for combating another species. We believe that multiple identical 'Earths' were created. Every one created as a 'control' environment for a massive experiment. Then human colonies were established on them, each population altered in subtle ways. Not every human population is genetically identical."  
"What do you mean?" Chard asked. He'd had the academy science classes and knew that the type of Genetic experimentation this AI was talking about was highly illegal, and highly experimental.  
"Some populations were engineered to be more violent and aggressive, others made to be more docile and subservient, others were given a higher potential for reasoning and scientific knowledge. The list of combinations tried goes on and on, the Forerunners were attempting to induce an evolutionary leap on a massive scale. But the Forerunners didn't isolate their experimentation to genetic and physiological experiments. They also manipulated social interactions amongst us, shaping many histories of human colonies to be nearly identical, then warping them at pivotal points." Cortana explained.  
"To what ends?" Chard asked tentatively, the officer did not want to know what was coming next.  
"Apparently, experimentation to create a more powerful race that could combat the Flood." Cortana said.  
Chard blinked.  
"The Flood is a parasitic organism that is capable of spreading at an alarming rate. It can take over a sentient life form, re-write it's DNA and create combat or carrier forms, which in turn spread more Flood." Cortana explained, her image being replaced with the horrific likeness of a 'human' combat form.  
Chard recoiled slightly. At least when the Borg took you you still looked human, this thing barely looked humanoid.  
"Captain, we need to speak with your leadership. It is imperative that we gain your assistance. The UNSC has a few months left before the Covenant assaults Earth, if that." Bueller said.  
Captain Chard looked at the UNSC personnel thoughtfully. He was standing at an impasse. Right now he could do one of two things, turn them away.  
Or try and get help for them.  
Decisions, decisions.  
  
"Captain..." Chard said looking at the UNSC soldiers.  
They looked hopeful.  
"I'll take you to Earth. You can put your case before the Federation Council. They'll decide what to do." Chard said. He'd cast his hand to fate, now it was up to time to tell him whether he'd made the right choice.  
"Captain Chard?" A voice asked, it seemed to spawn from nowhere. Chard tapped his com badge and responded.  
"This is the Captain."  
"Sir, the HALO structure appears to be activating again." The voice said.  
"Go to Red Alert. I'm on my way." Chard said standing and heading towards the bridge, he gestured for Hastings and Bueller to follow. The UNSC officer and the Ambassador followed along. The Federation marines and the Spartans followed along. They headed back into the featureless hallways and through the ship. Captain Chard stepped through a sliding door and into a small chamber, Hastings and Bueller stepped in with him.  
The marines and the Spartans remained in the hall.  
"Where are they headed?" John asked.  
"The bridge." One of the marines answered simply.  
  
Federation vessel USS 'Waterloo', The Bridge.  
  
Chard strode onto the bridge glancing at the main view screen. The HALO construct was radiating the same energy pulses it had when the UNSC vessels had appeared.  
"Captain Hastings, are you planning on any company?" Chard asked looking at the screen.  
"No, but I can guess who this is going to be." Hastings replied.  
"The Covenant?"  
"Yes Captain."  
"Captain Chard, the energy pulse is dissipating. I am reading three vessels present. They do not match any known ship types or designs." The Sensor operator said. Hastings looked at the vessels with a careful eye.  
"That's a Covenant Cruiser, a pair of Frigates and a Destroyer." Hastings said.  
"Formidable?"  
"Very."  
"Order the taskforce to full alert and prepare for battle." Chard said.  
"Sir, energy emissions have spiked on all four vessels. The signatures are similar to those found in Romulan Plasma torpedoes." The sensors officer said. Hastings looked at one of the tactical displays and saw the three UNSC ships of his force and the three ships of the Federation force arrayed in Blue against the four Covenant vessels.  
The three ships he commanded began to accelerate away from the Covenant fleet.  
Too late.  
"Captain! Enemy vessels are firing!" Tactical reported. Across the void of space the Covenant vessels discharged their plasma torpedoes. The massive reddish white spheres tracked the fleeing UNSC vessels. Unfortunately the Covenant weapons were much faster than the lumbering UNSC ships. Each of the Frigates took a plasma torpedo in the aft sections, engineering. Both ships spiraled out of control, as they were hit and their engines obliterated. Almost immediately both ships began to spew escape pods. Clearly, both captains knew that their vessels were as good as gone.  
But, the 'Steadfast' did a maximum burn, then cut engines and reoriented towards the Covenant force. It's massive MAC guns fired once, twice, and sent a pair of multi-ton projectiles streaking through space. Each one hit a Covenant Frigate. The first was holed and split in two. The round bored the other through, a massive hole no present in its hull. Even as the contrail of the MAC rounds dissipated a cloud of Archer missiles was launched.  
The comparably small missiles sailed through space and peppered the other Covenant Frigate with high explosive welts. The ship seemed to flicker slightly and they went adrift.  
"Captain, the 'Steadfast' just destroyed two of the enemy vessels. No energy signatures, they're dead in space with minimal life signs." The sensors officer said.  
"Good. Tactical, lock weapons on that Cruiser and open fire. Target their shield generators. I'm rather keen on landing marines and taking it intact." Chard said.  
"Yes captain." The Tactical officer said. On the main screen a flurry of phaser pulses opened up and sliced through the darkness, connecting with the Covenant Cruiser. The shields flared and pulsed under the onslaught, but held. Five blue white Quantum Torpedoes sailed through the abyss and collided with the Covenant shields, their warheads erupting into a conflagration of fire immeasurable amount of explosive force. The Covenant shields shattered. The Phasers lanced out again with pinpoint accuracy, they targeted weapons emplacements and shield projectors. Captain Chard wanted that ship intact. "I want all marines to board that vessel and capture it intact." Chard ordered. "Captain, perhaps my Spartans should lead you assault. They have more knowledge of the Covenant than you could ever hope to accrue." Hastings said. Chard nodded. "Master Chief, join the Federation marines and board that Cruiser. You are in command." Hastings said over his comm. "Yes sir." The Master Chief replied. Chard turned his attention to the other Covenant vessel. The two Defiant Class vessels were nimbly avoiding all the Covenant fire sent their way. Their pulse phasers and Quantum torpedoes pummeling the alien ship into semi-submission. But the Covenant vessel wasn't standing around. It was turning away. It was running. "Captain, the remaining hostile ship is attempting to break contact." Tactical said. "Don't let it escape." Chard ordered. The 'Waterloo' opened fire. The full might and fury of a Sovereign Class Battleship capable of leveling planets was now being leveled against a single ship. It could have been vaporize in an instant, had it remained in its location. The ship accelerated back to the point it had come from. The HALO ring activated and the ship vanished into the unknown. "Shit." Hastings swore. "Don't worry Captain, we still have that Cruiser to deal with." Chard said. Hastings nodded slowly. The Master Chief had actually captured a Covenant vessel before, and he'd been on more Covenant ships than any other member of the UNSC. He could get the job done.  
  
Federation Vessel USS 'Waterloo' Transporter Room  
  
John and the other Spartans had been uneasy with the fact they weren't being led back to the shuttle bay and the Pelican. The Federation Marine had said they had a faster way of getting to the Covenant ship. John had been a little skeptical but decided to go along with it. If it were a trap he and his team could deal with it.  
The Marines turned and filed through another doorway and into a large room. To the right was a waist high control panel facing a cylindrical area. A multitude of complex equipment and gear was lining the walls.  
"Okay, we need to know where you need to go in the enemy ship before we can transport you in." The technician behind the control panel said.  
"Excuse me?" John asked.  
"We can transport you into the enemy ship. Where do you want to be dropped?" The operator prompted again.  
"It must be some sort of transit system similar to the one on HALO." Cortana said over the helmet speakers. John felt a sudden surge of unease with this. He was having slight flashbacks of Guilty Spark's transit grid.  
And the incident when Cortana managed to rematerialize him upside- down in the corridor of a Covenant Cruiser.  
Oooo, bad idea.  
"Chief, don't worry, I think they have a better grasp of what they're doing than, er, I did." Cortana said, clearly the memory of her use of the HALO transit system pushed back to the forefront of her mind.  
"Coordinates?" The operator prompted again.  
"I'll upload them into your system now." Cortana said using the external suit speakers. Cortana had managed to slice into the Federation networks and input the data in less time than it had taken John to blink. He shook his head slightly Cortana really was something else.  
"Okay, just step up onto the pad and get ready. I'll drop you in at this location. The other marines will be coming in every ten seconds afterwards. Good luck." The operator said. John stepped up onto the transporter pad. Fred, Will and Linda did the same. John was carrying his standard MA5B assault rifle and a combat shotgun. Fred had an assault rifle as well, along with several packs of high explosives. Will had a Jackhammer Rocket launcher in addition to his MA5B. Linda carried a sniper rifle and an assault rifle.  
They were ready for a fight.  
Four of the Federation marines crowded aboard the transporter pad.  
"Energizing." The operator said and John felt himself being enveloped in a strange energy field. Then blackness. A sensation of detachment from his physical form. Rapid movement. Reconstruction of his body atom by atom. Color and sound returned to him. That was the easy part, then all hell broke lose.  
  
Disabled Covenant Cruiser 'Strict Vengeance', Atrium access to main Command Bridge  
  
The boarding party had managed to rematerialize smack dab in the middle of a security patrol. Two Elites, four Jackals and ten grunts, oh what fun. As soon as everyone figured out just what the hell was going on things got messy. The four Spartans opened up on full auto, sweeping their streams of death back and fourth over the security patrol they so rudely interrupted.  
The four Federation marines fired their phaser rifles in two distinct modes, one fired a small energy pulse, and the other disintegrated its target.  
The firefight was messy to say the least. It barely lasted seven seconds, but the entire Covenant security team was dead, and none of the boarders were injured. The Chief turned towards the entry way to the bridge; it was smeared with the bluish ichor of a grunt, the lights on the hatch blazed red, it had been sealed.  
"Fred, blow that hatch." John said. Fred nodded and moved to the sealed door. If they were placed correctly they had a chance to breach the alien alloy armor. If not, then they were trapped.  
"Let's clamp this place down people." The Federation Marine commander said. His troopers moved out and down the hall towards an intersection. The Spartans remained in position by the door. They were going to storm the bridge, the Federation could hold back the Covenant.  
Fred knelt by the door placing the large demolition packs, little more than backpacks crammed with C-12 high explosive. They could each rip through two meters of titanium warship armor. They might work on two inches of Covenant armor plating. Fred nodded as he placed the final charge and set took the remote detonator. John, Fred, Will and Linda fell back from the doors. They moved halfway down the corridor and took cover in a small outcropping.  
"Fire in the hole!" Fred shouted and triggered the explosives.  
The crack and detonation was deafening in the enclosed hall. The MJOLINR armor compensated for the pulse of raw sound easily. John glanced back; the Federation marines had shook somewhat at the detonation, but had held their positions. One of them started to fire their phaser rifle down the corridor, the other four followed suit. The Covenant was coming.  
But John ignored it. He kept his attention on the end of the hall, and the now devastated hatch that led into the Covenant ships nerve center. He saw movement and raised his assault rifle; Will and Fred did the same. But Linda was the quickest to the draw. Her sniper rifle snapped up and cracked four times in quick succession. Four ghostly forms fell as the armor piercing rounds found their marks.  
The Chief motioned and then moved forward, accompanied by Fred and Will. Linda remained by her post, her rifle firing and causing death amongst the Covenant defenders. It was somewhat unnerving have AP rounds cutting through the air scant millimeters from your head, but Linda knew how to handle her weapon; she was the best sniper out of all the Spartans.  
From behind them another energy charge sprung into being, the blue transport 'effect' from the Federation technology illuminating the hallway. Eight more Federation marines had arrived. They broke into two groups, one moved to assist the marines at the intersection, the others moved towards the Spartans.  
John sent the signal for grenades, the three Spartans drew fragmentation grenades and threw them. They hit, bounced once...twice...then detonated inside the room. The blasts peppered the interior of the room with deadly steel fragments.  
John, Will and Fred sprinted to the hatch and crouched down behind the cover they began to exchange fire with the Covenant forces still inside. John leaned around as he fired, risking a glance at the other entrances to the room. Covenant troops were pouring into the room.  
Will exchanged his assault rifle for his Jackhammer launcher and leveled it at one of the Covenant security teams. He fired off one of the rockets and it streaked across the chamber, it's smoky contrail adding to the confusion of the killing ground that the command center had become. The rocket detonated and sent the security flying through the air, as though they had been toys tossed by an angry child. Will shifted his aim and sent the second rocket flying smack dab into the chest armor of a black clad commando elite, the elite morphed into a fountain of purple blood and body parts that coated the troopers behind him. Will reloaded with inhuman speed and precision. The smoke trails hadn't even dissipated and he was reloading his weapon.  
John and Fred were firing on full auto. They were running out of ammo and their weapons were actually overheating. This wasn't good. The firing pin of John's MA5B slammed home on an empty chamber and the bolt locked open, he was out. He dropped the weapon and readied his shotgun. The Covenant were close enough that their mass worked to his advantage, swaths of the defenders fell with each blast.  
But there were too many, it was as though the Covenant knew that they were coming. They'd been ready for the attack.  
John was about to order his Spartans to fall back when an unfamiliar voice shouted from behind him.  
"You need a little help?"  
John almost bucked his head around, his mind had been so focused on the fight he hadn't thought about what was behind him, and that was dangerous in combat.  
From behind him it sounded like four energy capacitors were being charged. He didn't know what the Federation troopers had in mind, but whatever it was, hopefully it was going to take down the defenses in the Command deck. How right he was.  
Four glowing packets of energy lanced out from behind him, they streaked forward and detonated amongst the Covenant. They had no contrail, they had no exhaust of any kind, but they did blow up rather spectacularly. They packed more power than a Demolitions pack when they went off, which was a good thing. Plus they fired a whole lot faster than a Jackhammer launcher, very good.  
Covenant forces were simply vaporized when the rounds hit. Entire teams were decimated in the volley. Jackals were blasted clear off their feet, their overlapped energy shields not enough to overcome the energy blasts.  
"Personal Proton Torpedo launcher. Nice little toy don't you think?" One of the Federation marines said, slinging the weapon. But he didn't put the weapon over his shoulder, rather he held it to his side and it seemed to dematerialize. In it's place his phaser rifle appeared. John paused for half a second, then moved forward onto the bridge.  
The room was strewn with corpses. The Covenant had poured a large amount of troops into this battle and didn't seem too intent on loosing the bridge. For the moment though, it seemed as though the PPT bombardment had driven back the Covenant forces. John nodded as they moved into the room.  
"Clear." Fred said.  
"Cortana, can you seal the doors?" John asked as he moved up onto the command platform.  
"Accessing.... hmmm, it seems as though the Covenant has decided to de- lineate their systems to a degree. Probably after my handy work with their flagship." Cortana said with an air of pride about herself.  
"Can you?" John prompted again.  
"No. They've set the door codes apart from the main systems. I can't access them." Cortana said.  
"Now what Chief?" Fred asked.  
"We dig in and hold off any Covenant attempts to retake the bridge." John said. The Spartans acknowledged and the Federation Marines did the same. Eight more Marines moved into the bridge from the hall, phaser rifles read.  
"But, where are we going to dig in?" One of the Federation marines asked.  
"Right here." John said gesturing at the elevated command platform.  
"But we're hideously exposed up here." One of the Marines prompted.  
"We'll build a barricade." John said.  
"With what?"  
John looked down at the corpses.  
"Oh."  
Back at the intersection the Federation forces where holding off what seemed to be a major push towards the bridge. The marines were holding their own against the Covenant attacks. They had cover, shields, energy weapons and a whole lot of power. They weren't going to be budged from their position of cover. The Covenant bodies were stacking up in the hallways; the last attack had drowned in blood and phaser fire that had left the bodies pilled up down the hall.  
"Fall back to the command center, we'll hold there." Came the command from the master chief.  
The Marines complied and fell back in good order, leaving behind their strongpoint and retreating to the 'bridge' of the ship. They entered the bridge and headed up to the gruesome 'rampart' that the defenders had erected. The Covenant corpses had been stacked like firewood around the periphery of the elevated command platform, grunt, jackal, elite, or Hunter. It didn't matter what the alien was, it had been piled up to form a modest defensive position, and judging from the height of the 'wall' it had been a charnel house inside the bridge.  
"Get up here and order the ship to bring their marines in right here." The Master Chief ordered. The marines scampered up and hopped into the position. This was a grim sign if they'd been forced into this posture.  
The Federation marines complied and moved into the new defensive position. They did just in time. Another assault was being staged on the control room. The enemy forces were made up of an alien species that the Spartans hadn't seen before.  
They looked like bipedal lizards. They stood about a head or so taller than a grunt. Their scaled skin was mottled green color, but instead of seeing that strange olive green, it was covered in elaborate paint. They skittered slightly as they moved, like they weren't too far separated from their lizard ancestors at all. Their eyes tracked around the room on short turrets, much like those a chameleon had, they could move around independently. Both eye turrets gazed out over a pointed snout filled with needle sharp teeth.  
The carried strange weapons in their clawed hands, very much unlike standard Covenant plasma weapons, they were sleek and resembled a human assault rifle. But when they discharged their weapons they fired much faster than a plasma rifle or pistol. A stream of discarded ammunition casings flew from one side of the weapon. They were for all intents and purposes, standard mechanical assault rifles. But they fired plasma.  
The rapid fire barrage of plasma chewed away at the barricade while the Federation marines and Spartans returned their deadly rain of steel and energy.  
The 'lizards' – for lack of a better term – weren't like Elites, or Jackals, or Grunts. They laid down cover fire, they leapfrogged, and they took advantage of cover. They were soldiers, not cannon fodder; these troopers understood the ways of modern warfare.  
Both sides were loosing forces. The 'lizards' were losing troopers as they advanced, and the Federation marines were dropping.  
"Keep firing!" Cortana shouted unnecessarily.  
  
USS 'Waterloo', Wolf 359 System, The Bridge  
  
"Well Captain Hastings, these are the ultimate threat you and the UNSC is so worried about?" Chard asked looking at the disabled Covenant vessel as it hung in space.  
"Captain, the Covenant are more dangerous than you think." Hastings replied as he watched the ship. He knew that something was going to happen. That second Covenant ship was going to cause them problems.  
Something bad was going to happen.  
"Captain! The HALO is activating again!" The Operations officer said.  
There it was.  
"Report." Chard said turning his attention to the massive alien construct.  
"Same energy buildup as before. More ships are coming through."  
"Prepare for combat." Chard said just as the energy sphere dissipated.  
The glowing white sphere was replaced with fifteen Covenant ships. Ten light Covenant Frigates escorting a core of Five heavy Cruisers. This force was more than ample to destroy a UNSC fleet five times that number. Going up against three Federation ships and a wounded UNSC Destroyer.  
It would be like a man crushing a bug with a sledgehammer.  
"Captain, I suggest you pull our men off the Covenant ship and we retreat." Hastings said. He clasped his hands behind his back to keep them from shaking. He was staring certain death in the face, and the only hope was to run...very, very fast.  
Chard stood stock-still. He didn't even blink. It was as though the entire sight had frozen him in place, and he didn't even know the true power that the Covenant could wield. For a moment, Hastings saw that titanic difference between a captain in the Federation, and a captain in the UNSC. A Federation captain was not a true warrior; he was a man that had more on his mind than combat. A UNSC captain was a soldier, he knew how to fight, and he'd seen war in all it's horror against the Covenant.  
Chard wasn't a combat captain, no matter how much he thought otherwise.  
He'd only seen a bare shred of their power, and he was frightened.  
"Captain, we have to go NOW!" Hastings shouted, startling the Federation captain from his frozen state.  
"Yes, yes..." Chard said, his eyes still locked on the Covenant fleet.  
Hastings stood there.  
Chard said nothing.  
"Pull those people off the Covenant vessel now. Helm; set us a course out of here. Is there a nearby strongpoint we can head too?" Hastings shouted, he couldn't stand around and let his forces, and these Federation troops get killed because their captain couldn't face true combat.  
"Yes...uh...sir, Starbase 187. It's a few light-years from here." The Helmsman said.  
"Set a course and send the coordinates to the 'Steadfast'. We jump on my order." Hastings said.  
  
Covenant Cruiser 'Strict Vengeance', The bridge.  
  
The battle wasn't going well. Although the Spartans were still alive, the Federation marines weren't lasting. They fell one by one, their numbers dwindling as they fell to the 'lizard' plasma weapons.  
These new aliens were good. They were soldiers, and they knew how to fight. Even though they didn't have the energy shielding that Elites or Jackals carried, they still knew how to move in a firefight.  
"I'm out!" Fred shouted dropping his MA5B and picking up one of the phaser rifles.  
"We need to pull out!" The most senior marine shouted over the strange din of the alien weapons. John nodded and emptied another magazine into the approaching Lizards. Two fell as the rounds hit flesh rather than body armor, their red blood smearing the elaborate body paint they wore. The others in the unit skittered and moved apart avoiding the deadly hail.  
"This is Lieutenant Mortenson, we need to be pulled out now! We have wounded and casualties." The marine shouted through his comm badge. He nodded to himself.  
"They're pulling us out!" Mortenson shouted, just as the blue haze of the transporter descended upon them.  
  
John rematerialized on a transporter pad, crouched in the same position he'd been in during the fight. His hand motions to reload his assault rifle continued as though he had been uninterrupted. His head and eyes darted about looking for hostiles, but they were back in the Federation transporter room, several men and women in blue colored outfits moved towards the Spartans, they carried several strange items. John was wary, but the Federation marines accepted the others without worry they had to be medics.  
John stood up, and looked around.  
"What happened?" He asked.  
"More of those enemy ships arrived and we're bugging out." One of the gold colored crewmen said.  
John shook his head. That was how it always happened, the Covenant might not win on the ground, but they always won in space.  
  
USS 'Waterloo' The Bridge  
  
"The away teams have returned!" The ops officer said.  
"Helm, get us out of here." Hastings ordered. Even though he wasn't their captain, they still complied, not wanting to hang around and face that fleet longer than they had to.  
In unison the three Federation ships and the lone UNSC Destroyer engaged their Faster than light drives and left the HALO and the Covenant forces behind.  
Hastings turned to Chard. The Federation captain still looked shaken.  
"Captain. We came here to find help in fighting the Covenant. And we've proven just how dangerous they are, and the kind of threat they represent. They came here to conquer you, or rather to exterminate you." Hastings said as he looked out at the starfield before them.  
"The Covenant is the greatest threat to humanity. And that's because they regard us as insects, they regard every single other alien race in the universe as an annoyance. They don't want to subjugate us, they want to exterminate us. That's why we need help, because if we don't win, we die. Every man, woman, and child in every single galaxy that boasts humans will be exterminated, untold trillions will be wiped out like bugs. The UNSC will be the first to fall Captain, that's why we came for help." Hastings said, his tone silent and cool.  
Chard simply nodded.  
  
Coming up next, and hopefully much sooner [sorry again for the long hiatus]:  
  
Chapter 6: The new forces of the Covenant Hegemony.  
  
Get ready to see all the bad asses that the Covenant get to help with their holy war. 


	7. Chapter 6: New Forces of the Covenant He...

Chapter 6: New Forces of the Covenant Hegemony  
  
Covenant Holy City 'High Clarity', Sanctum of the Hierarchs, Viewing chamber of the Prophet of Truth  
  
The chamber was immense. The sheer size of it dwarfed its occupants. It was easily large enough to contain a Covenant Supercarrier. The vaulted ceiling rose high above the main floor. The walls were featureless and flat, devoid of windows and any portals to the outside. There were only two entrances to the room; one was the large vaulted door through which any that were deemed worth entered the chamber. Stretching from that door was a single walkway slightly raised above two depressions.  
In each one of these dwelled a thousand of the most highly trained, and the most fanatical of all Covenant troops. Two thousand crack Elites knelt in their position of reverence for the Prophet. They were poised to exterminate any that showed the slightest irreverence to the Prophets. Their Gold armor plating did not even shift as they knelt ready for combat.  
The walk stretched the extent of the chamber, from the entry door to the raised platform that displayed the Prophet of Truth. It was almost fifty yards high, dominating the expanse of the chamber. The raised dais held a sparse elegance, there were no markings or ornamentation on it, rather it was blank. The Prophet of the Truth needed no elaborate signs to signify his status, any who made it into this chamber knew that they were receiving no greater an honor.  
Beams of light illuminated the area around the top of the platform, but they did not touch the seat occupied by the Prophet, it remained in shadow. The long walk to the door was also lit brilliantly, but the Elite guards remained out of direct illumination. Only the reflected glint of their armor was seen.  
The lights cast only a small amount of direct light on the room, but the entire chamber radiated a dim reflected glow.  
Billions of mirrored points of light were reflected on the walls and the ceiling. The sight was truly breathtaking, the points of reflected light in the darkness. Each minute point of light was a single piece of glass, a shard of glass forged from the super-intense heat of a Covenant Plasma bombardment.  
Each shard of glass from a different world 'conquered' by the Covenant Hegemony; it was a grim monument to the brutality of the Covenant and the resistance of countless races; or it was a shining example of the futility of resistance.  
The Prophet of Truth sat upon his floating dais atop the raised pyramid that dominated the chamber. It's flowing robes and cloaks completely obscuring its body and hovering dais. It's face and tiny clawed hands protruded from beneath the robes. The elaborate headband it wore was adorned with sensory apparatus and antenna.  
The Prophet of Truth sat on its throne in utter silence. It was in no rush to see those that were to be admitted. They were trivial creatures, not worth its divine presence at all.  
Its claw twitched a scant millimeter, the signal to admit those that waited.  
Two Massive Hunters stood by the doors, their natural hunched over forms bowed low in respect as they pulled open the doors. There was no sound as the doors opened to admit those given the honor of entering the presence of the Prophet of Truth.  
It was small procession that marched forward, their heads bowed in mute reverence. There were seven of them.  
The first in line was short, and it as humanoid. But it was not human. It was a lizard, not any type of Covenant warrior a human had before encountered. Its elaborate body paint signified its rank and position. It skittered as it moved along, it's hunched posture akin to some ancient dinosaur hunting for prey. It's eye turrets remained riveted to the floor before it as it marched. This was Fleetlord Quilltar, the representative of the Race.  
The second in line was clad in a flowing orange robe. Its hood covered its head fully and left it in deep shadow. It didn't walk; it floated down the walk, bobbing up and down slightly as it moved. Its hood was bowed as well, the shadowed face cast downward. It had no name, but it was the representative of the Star Spawn.  
The third in line marched with an arrogance that even this situation could not strip from him. His head was held high and he held an expression of utter disdain upon his features. His elaborate robes and clothing was rival of those that he Prophet of Truth wore. His eyes glowed slightly as he walked along. His body was that of a human, but his mind was different, he was Goa'uld.  
The fourth in the procession looked like a human. It had a human form, even something sickly akin to a human face, but it was not a human. Its body was covered in tattoos and scars from countless battles and trials. He wore no clothes beyond a simple 'skirt' around his waist. The warrior was devoid of its weapons, but still walked with an air of danger and competence that could not be rivaled by the Elite guards. This was a Yhuzzan Vong.  
The fifth walked smoothly and gracefully. It's gray skin covered with a simple robe of neutral tone. It had eyes that glowed a vibrant blue; they were cast down at the ground as it walked. The creature showed the respect that the Prophet warranted. This was one of the Protoss.  
The sixth in the line walked along with as much arrogance and disdain as the Goa'uld, but with a respect and humble hatred towards the Prophet that only he could detect. His green skin was similar to that of the representative of the Race, but he was much more humanoid than the lizard. He was of the Yevetha.  
The final member of the line walked with as much elegance as the Protoss, yet it had a neutral demeanor that made the creature seem like it was far removed from this situation. It had blue skin and red, the gold colors of its robes giving sharp contrast to its eyes and skin. It's three fingered hands clasped before it as it walked. This was a Ethereal, one of the leaders of the Tau.  
The procession walked forward, their differing styles of walk each noted by the Prophet from its perch high above them. Its beady eyes flicked back and forth across the procession. They made the distance to the bottom of the Prophet's mound in due time. They walked up the incline and stood before the Prophet of Truth. The prophet was sitting slightly higher that these inferiors.  
The procession formed a line and knelt before their new leader.  
The Prophet sat there and gazed at them intently. It studied them with silent disdain. He was sickened that he had to admit such savage and primitive creatures into his presence. But he had to acknowledge these new subjects, especially since they had bowed to the pure light of the Covenant Hegemony so readily, and were already fighting in the great crusade.  
"So, you have finally deigned to come and see your new master?" The Prophet said, it's voice steeped in disdain.  
None of those before him moved, they continued to kneel in mute silence.  
"You have so willingly submitted to the divine light of the Covenant Hegemony. Your armies fight for our pure goals. You now serve in the Crusade to locate the Forerunners." The Prophet said watching them. None of them shifted.  
"All of you have fought the humans. All of you waged war against them and were defeated. You cannot say that you are worthy of the respect of any Covenant warrior. I do not believe that even humans should regard you with respect." The prophet spat, it's face warped into one of disgust. None of those before him flinched.  
"And yet, it has been deemed that you are still worth keeping alive." The prophet sighed slightly.  
"You have all fought the humans. And you have been beaten by every different incarnation of them. True, they are formable. True, they are annoyingly innovative. But they are a pest at most. You peoples have wondered why we removed you from your own campaigns against the humans, you were unsuccessful on your own. That is why you no longer battle them." The prophet said.  
Those before him shifted nervously.  
"Your futile efforts are being stopped because your soldiers better serve the Covenant when they actually kill some humans. In that vein your forces are being redeployed to assist in the final assault on earth." The Prophet said. He was not contradicted, each of these alien races were fighting their own wars against different earths. The Covenant had made 'their' earth the priority.  
The Prophet looked up at the glass shards that reflected the scant light of the chamber.  
"Look around you." The Prophet of Truth said and moved his tiny hand in a sweeping motion. Slowly, they raised their heads and looked about the massive room.  
"This is the price of resistance. See it well; know it with your very souls. For this is the fate that awaits the Humans, all the humans. They shall be reduced to cinders, the melted glass that will return to this chamber all that remains of their worlds." The Prophet said.  
"But this is also the price of failure." The Prophet finished, his words hung in the air. Normally, not one of these races would have submitted to any power. Let alone the diminutive creature that hovered before them. But the diminutive thing that hovered before them commanded the power to turn planets into dead spheres of melted glass. They had all seen the power that it commanded, the power that it could wield with impunity.  
Yes, their people had all fought hard against the Covenant, but it had not been nearly enough. They had been given a single option because the Covenant wielded so much raw force to use against them.  
And now it was being driven home once more.  
"Know it well. Know that if you fail you shall be punished for your lack of strength. If you deign to hold back with your fury, it you think that you can merely pretend to serve us, then your worlds will suffer. Then you will be annihilated, no matter what you think you are capable of." The Prophet said.  
Those kneeling before him all nodded in unison. Deep within each resided the urge to kill the diminutive being before them. They all wished to free their peoples from the tyranny of this creature's kind.  
But they all wished for something deeper and much stronger.  
Annihilation of human beings in the universe, or the total enslavement of their race. It was a fire that burned within each of them. A collective yearning for the eradication of a species that had proven far too resilient for their own good. Humans...the primitive savages had given them far too much trouble.  
"The humans have discovered just how to use the HALO network left by the Forerunners. Even as I speak, they are exploring the galaxy, making contact with other peoples. Other humans. They've defeated all of you on their own, and now they are trying to unite. That cannot be allowed to happen, now can it?"  
The kneeled figures shook their heads.  
"It has been decided that the assault on their homeworld is the foremost priority, and after the loss of two battle stations and accompanying armadas, it has aggravated us to no end." The Prophet said. He did not say anything about the loss of the second battle station, and the loss of the second fleet. He didn't say that Covenant vessels intent on stopping the spread of a strange alien life form that had infested the fleet had destroyed the second fleet.  
Nor did he speak of the strange events reported by the fleet before contact was lost.  
The crews said they were being.... hunted by something. Apparently there was something out there that was more dangerous than humans, and much more ruthless. Grizzly stories had ripped through the Covenant Legions and armadas, heedless of the attempts to squelch them.  
Stories abounded of aliens that captured you alive to make you into living eggs. Stories of nightmarish creatures that could sneak up on you and capture you without giving you a chance to scream. Stories about gigantic bipedal aliens that would kill and skin elites for fun. Stories of aliens that were harder to detect than a camouflaged elite.  
Covenant morale plummeted in all sectors, be they Grunt or Brute, the Covenant Armies were....scared.  
And right now the newest members of the Covenant Hegemony were terrified of what was coming. Absolute terror of the Prophet of Truth, and utter glee at the chance to eradicate the human species from the universe.  
  
AN= Sorry this is short, but I wanted to further the plot some and show you that this isn't an pointless 'everybody beats up the Covenant'. Just a breakdown of who everyone is:  
  
1: The 'Race' is the Lizard like alien race in Harry Turtledove's 'World War' series, the premise is that aliens invade during WW 2. They have technology that's akin to the 1980's US (or year 2000+ Russian) which means humans aren't completely outclassed.  
  
2: Think of the Star Spawn as being the synergy of every alien race presented in X-Com. I love that game series and it's one of the greatest of all time. Moving on to the story then...  
  
3: The Yevetha are one of the aggressor alien races in Star Wars. They're from the 'Black Fleet Crisis' series of novels. They're xenophobic and believe in their divine right to 'cleanse' their star systems of all alien vermin (a.k.a Humans)  
  
4: The Protoss are from Starcraft, it may seem odd that they're on the Covenant side, but I've already caught a ton of flak for that one, so sit down and shut up if you're annoyed. It will work itself out.  
  
5: The Goa'uld are the baddies from Stargate SG-1, parasites that inhabit human hosts. They like to think that they're gods, and have a right to rule all of space.  
  
6: The Tau are a mostly benevolent race from Warhammer 40K they fight for the 'Greater Good' a uniting ideal amongst the Tau. Consider them to be reluctant conquests.  
  
7: The Yuuzhan Vong, some could consider them the ultimate bad guys, they caused the collapse of the New Republic, decimated countless worlds and systems. They look like they're in much the same class as the Covenant.  
  
And the next chapter:  
  
Chapter 7: A meeting that will decide the fate of Galaxy  
  
You get to see everybody that will fight along side the UNSC against the Covenant. Some notable examples: The Asguard, the SGC, The United States Colonial Marines, X-Com, the New Republic, the Federation, the Klingon Star Empire, the Human Alliance. The list could go on and on. 


	8. Chapter 7: A Meeting that will decide th...

Another note, some of you may notice that I am bending timelines for some of these Games, books, etc. I'm doing this for a more interesting plot line, heh.  
  
Chapter 7: A meeting that will decide the fate of the Galaxy  
  
Earth [Forerunner Test galaxy 624], Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Stargate Command, On base quarters of Colonel O'Neill.  
  
Colonel Jack O'Neill, commanding officer of SG-1, the flagship team of Stargate Command was getting something that he rarely had a chance to enjoy; sleep. At least while he was on duty. Normally he spent every moment that he was on-world doing that endless torment known as paperwork....  
  
Or bugging Carter....  
  
Or bugging Daniel....  
  
Or bugging Teal'c....  
  
But besides that it was all business. Yep, every waking moment the pillar of professionalism.  
Okay, he can't even think that with a straight face.  
But he didn't sleep much, especially after a five daylong off-world mission that included a day of listening to Daniel translate tablets, and four days of running from natives that weren't too keen on Daniel translating tablets.  
Fun, fun, fun.  
But right now he was busy recovering from Doc Fraiser's usual post mission examination. Ah, such fun! But now sleep, and later the Simpsons, no paperwork in sight for a while either. Hey, he might even go bug Carter for a while in her lab.  
Ah, the day was set, and now all he had to do waaaa-  
And cue ringing phone.  
-ssss get up and answer the phone.  
Jack grunted in annoyance and grabbed the receiver.  
"O'Neill."  
"I hope I'm not waking you Colonel." General Hammond asked across the phone line, although he was somewhere in the base.  
"Yes and no sir. What's happening?" Jack asked sitting up and looking at the small digital clock in the room. He groaned as he saw that he hadn't really had any sleep at all, today, or in the last week.  
"The Asguard have decided to stop by." General Hammond replied.  
"Really? And they decided to speak with you rather than beam me up why? No, don't answer that." Jack said.  
"I need you in the briefing room as soon as possible Colonel." Hammond ordered. Jack hung up and stumbled through the darkened room, dressed and then headed off towards the briefing room, grumbling quietly as he shambled along. Jack stepped into the main elevator to be confronted by the rest of his team. For the most part they looked fully alert and ready, he was the only groggy one.  
"Any ideas why the Asguard have decided to show up?" Jack asked as the door slid shut behind him.  
"I do not O'Neill." Teal'c said in his normally stoic self. Carter and Daniel shrugged they didn't have a clue either, and judging by their appearance they hadn't even attempted to sleep yet.  
They stepped off the elevator in silence and headed to the briefing room. Jack yawned slightly and then turned the corner and spotted Thor right off the bat. It was hard to miss an Asguard, the completely bald skin, giant black eyes and stature that was the equivalent of a husky nine year old kinda ruled out missing them in a crowd.  
"Thor, buddy, what brings you to this neck of the universe? Need some more help with the Replicators? Goa'uld plot you want to warn us about? Some massive, horrific disaster about to befall the Asguard that we can help with?" Jack said.  
"Greetings O'Neill. I have come with, good news and bad news for you and your people." Thor said from his throne-like seat that he always sat in.  
O'Neill looked at Thor for a moment.  
"Well, nothing new them." Jack mumbled.  
"No, something entirely new. The bad news is that for all intents and purposes the Goa'uld have abandoned this Galaxy entirely." Thor said. Even Teal'c was shocked at this.  
"First, how is that even possible? And second, why is that bad news?" Carter asked sounding amazed.  
"They are both due to the same factor. We believe that they were compelled to do so." Thor supplied.  
"They were 'compelled'? Someone forced the Goa'uld system lords to abandon their possessions and territory in such a relatively short time?" Daniel asked.  
"From what we have ascertained, yes." Thor answered.  
"Such an entity would need to command substantial forces to effect such an act." Teal'c said grimly.  
"That is what concerns the Asguard High command. If such a force can overwhelm the Goa'uld so completely.... they have the potential to overcome the Asguard as well." Thor said.  
"What do you know about them?" Jack asked sitting in the chair next to Thor.  
"Very little. We've investigated several Goa'uld worlds that we know of, they were found decimated and reduced to flattened glass. Others were simply devoid of inhabitants, or devoid of Goa'uld." Thor said.  
"Do you have a name for this mysterious foe?" Jack asked.  
"Yes. An Asguard warship recovered a disabled Goa'uld mother ship. The sensor logs and data gave us our first glimpse of these foes." Thor said and his diminutive hands manipulated a control panel on his chair. A hologram sprung into existence. It was of a smoothed elegant starship. The purplish hue of the hull flared as massive orbs of plasma leapt forward from points on the hull towards the Goa'uld ship.  
"A transmission sent from the aggressor ship was in the Goa'uld language and was brief." The harsh, deep sounds of the Goa'uld language echoed through the room.  
"Your subjugation...is the will of the gods...we are the instrument of their divine will." Daniel translated.  
"Yes, from what we can determine the aggressors refer to themselves as the Covenant Hegemony. They managed to completely usurp and remove the most powerful force in your galaxy in the span of a few weeks." Thor said.  
"Maybe they're friendly." Carter said.  
"No." Thor replied abruptly.  
"No?" Jack asked  
"No. I did tell you I had good news, and more bad. We have received a message from another...society." Thor said and again he made a few motions with his hand and another hologram appeared in view. It was of a human, dressed simply in what looked like a military uniform. It was unadorned without any insignia or medals.  
"Greetings to all Sentient peoples that receive this message. I am ambassador Hidelburg of the United Nations. If you have received this message than I humbly implore you to consider what my Government asks in this transmission. I represent the United Nations, a united force of humans from the planet Earth. We are a civilized and cultured people who wish for peace. Right now we are embroiled in a war with a group known as the Covenant Hegemony. They assaulted and annihilated innocent Civilian colonies without provocation. They have murdered billions of Civilians and millions of military personnel, and have laid waste to hundreds of worlds. The sent only one message to us, informing us that they were going to annihilate our race. This was unprovoked Genocide." The hologramatic figure said.  
"The UNSC implores that any race who receives this message responds to it and meets in a summit. If we do not receive aid the Human race will be obliterated from the universe." The figure finished and bowed. The image vanished.  
"We received this message by a wavelength and transmission method unknown to your people. Nor do the Tollan or Tok'ra use this method of transmission. We were at a loss considering the references involved. 'Humans' and 'Earth', those words are unique to your planet. Along with 'United Nations'." Thor said.  
"Well, that's just odd." Jack said.  
"Yes O'Neill. After the message is a set of coordinates and instructions to follow. A warship was sent to investigate." Once again, Thor brought up another Hologram. It looked like a Stargate.  
"It's a Stargate." Jack said.  
"It is approximately one hundred thousand kilometers across, in your measures." Thor said.  
"It's a really, really big Stargate." Jack said.  
"Yes, that is the function of this device. The Asguard warship studied the device for a brief amount of time and discovered that it functions much the same as a Stargate. Although information on the message, and the structure refers to it as 'HALO'." Thor said.  
"What are you going to do?" Jack asked.  
"I am taking a small fleet to meet with this Ambassador at the Summit proposed. A Tollan vessel and emissaries and a Tok'ra emissary are going as well. I came here to offer you transport to attend this summit as well." Thor said.  
"General?" Jack asked.  
"You have a go Colonel." Hammond replied without hesitation.  
  
Earth [Forerunner Test Galaxy 172], United States Military High Command: The Pentagon, MILCOM HQ Conference Room 1-Alpha  
  
It was a tense meeting of the Joint chiefs. They'd been gathered together in the middle of the night to muddle over something big. Just how big it was, no one was saying that. The officers sat in silence, the room darkened as they watched the hologramatic display in the center of the circular table glow and project the message. The unease in the room was thick; every single officer was trying to assimilate the information that they were getting.  
  
Other Humans in the Universe.  
  
Sentient Aliens.  
  
Sentient Aliens that could wipe out the Human Race.  
  
No one wanted to voice what they were all thinking. No one wanted to say a word. They were content to sit in the dark, watching the message repeat. No one wanted to admit they were scared.  
The hologram ended and the lights came back on.  
"Gentlemen and Lady...the President has asked us to review this message and formulate options." The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said. He was an army man. General Chang was on a multi colored nameplate on his chest.  
"The ramifications of this..." The General that represented the Colonial Marine Corps said.  
"...are monstrous." The General from the Aerospace forces finished softly.  
"The President has asked us to present what we can possibly do to combat this threat." General Chang said.  
"What can we do? We're not exactly in fighting trim to fight a full- scale war. Let alone combat an alien invasion. It would take us a few months to mobilize to any efficient degree." General Phillips said. He spoke for the US Army.  
"The Marines are ready. The Colonial Marines are always ready." General Monroe said. She was the only woman in the room. And she was the only Colonial marine in the room too. That made her the toughest person in this entire building.  
"Of course General, but your Marines can't be expected to fight a full scale war on their own can they?" General Thomas said, his Aerospace uniform looking far more refined and immaculate than General Monroe's.  
"Unlike you flyboys we marines actually know how to fight." Monroe snarled at the Aerospace General.  
"I bet." Thomas replied.  
"Please, can we concentrate on the matters at hand? We are facing what could be the single greatest threat to humanity." General Chang said, the anger in his voice readily apparent. General Monroe and General Thomas quieted.  
"The Army will need time to organize for any kind of action." General Phillips said flatly.  
"The Aerospace assets we have are ready to fight. We can pull forces off of patrol duties and marshal some significant fleet assets." Admiral Thomas said.  
"The Colonial Marines are always ready." General Monroe said with pride.  
"That's good. The President has ordered us to begin full preparations for a full-scale war. He's sent an emissary to this summit the 'UNSC' has set up. And he says that we can expect to come to the aid of a beleaguered group on the verge of annihilation." General Chang said. The officers nodded grimly. They knew exactly what they were getting into. Full scale war on a scope larger than any the United States had ever known.  
They knew exactly what they were getting into, but nothing of the horrors of the war they were joining.  
  
Coruscant [Forerunner Test Galaxy 953], Imperial City, The Imperial Senate Chamber/New Republic Senate Chamber  
  
For once, the Senate Chamber was silent.  
  
Dead silent.  
  
It was unheard of. The Senate chamber could never command silence. Even when the loudspeaker system was turned off there was noise. But now, it was quiet, there was not a sound to be heard in the epic space. Every single representative in the room could understand what was going on. Yes, they'd been contacted by a Human race from outside the Galaxy, and yes, the Yuuzhan Vong had come from outside the galaxy...but this was a new threat, a powerful threat.  
"Now, a brefing from New Republic Intelligence on the validity of these statements." The Speaker said, and surrendered his podium to a Rodian clad in the simple uniform of the NRI.  
He stepped up, and looked around. His bulbous black eyes gazed out at the representatives.  
"NRI Ferret craft have investigated the Yuuhzan Vong strongholds at Belkadan and Helska. Both worlds were taken early in the war and have been long out of contact with New Republic Forces. NRI Ferret Spy craft were sent to investigate the complete lack of contact with any Yuuhzan Vong vessels in the past months. Every world that was investigated was devoid of Yuuhzan Vong influence. For one reason or another. Some worlds were found to be simply devoid of Yuuhzan Vong flora and fauna. Others were found decimated by some sort of superheated plasma." The NRI agent said.  
"At Helska we located two Yuuhzan Vong worldships, which were under the 'guard' of ten vessels known to belong to the Covenant Hegemony. They are approximately the same type as those found at the 'HALO' construct. The vessels were observed to jump to Belkadan in formation. The Ferret spy craft followed to the system and found this." The Spook said and a massive hologram sprang to life in the void above him.  
It was an armada the size that could have dwarfed the Imperial Fleet back at its prime. The Fleet was so large it spread beyond the limits of the massive image. Its contents were more diverse than a Hutt's entourage. The shapes ranged from sleek and lethal looking ships that were similar, yet wholly different to the Covenant, to the massive asteroid ships of the Yuuhzan Vong. There were even Yevetha ships amongst them, and Imperial Star destroyers with Yevetha markings. Ships that looked like giant pyramids coasted about rapidly along the periphery. Saucer shaped vessels darted about the interior of the formation.  
This armada was larger than the New Republic and Imperial fleets combined at full strength. It looked capable of having a run of destruction greater than that of the Yuuhzan Vong's conquests. A fleet that could smash the might of the Empire in its prime.  
A fleet that could squash Coruscant if it wanted.  
"This armada then jumped out of the Belkadan system and towards an unknown location slightly outside the galactic plane. The Ferret was unable to follow the Armada." The Spook said.  
"We have investigated the Yevetha systems, and all Yuuhzan Vong worlds.... They are empty." The NRI officer said and stepped down.  
The speaker nodded and retook his podium. Still, the senate chamber retained its air of silent panic. The speaker looked about, those faces that he could see and with expressions he understood.... he saw horror and disbelief.  
"My fellow beings...we have been vested with a great duty. We stand at the cross roads of not just galactic history, but Universal History. We have seen the Yuuhzan Vong. We have understood that there is life beyond our own Galaxy. We have proof of the violence of such species, and the cruelty with which they operate. And now, we hear a plea for help. No, a plea for an audience in a great meeting that could decide the fate of an entire race." The speaker said; he was making up this entire speech on the fly. No scripting, no rehearsal, pure and raw emotion, being broadcast to trillions of beings over the holonet.  
"I ask you all to take a vote, a vote to decide whether or not we should come to the aid of a peoples that did nothing to bring upon the senseless slaughter that they have suffered through. I ask you to vote to meet with them and to see what they wish in aid. I ask you to help them, to do what we so wished for during the days of the Rebellion and the war with the Empire, during the war with the Yevetha and the Vong, I ask you to help them." The speaker said.  
It began as one single clap. The sharp noise nearly lost in the cavernous dead spaces of the senate. The applause was deafening, and yet it was only a single being clapping. Then another....and another....and another...  
The applause ripped through the senate chamber and truly was deafening, the ear splitting din heard outside the massive building, heard over the noise of Coruscant's day traffic.  
For the first time in over 100,000 years of the senate, a resolution was passed without a single dissenting vote.  
  
Earth [Forerunner Test Galaxy 419], Mega Primus City 1, X-Com Corporate Headquarters  
  
Mega Primus stretched out into the distance beyond the boardroom windows. It was a vibrant, thriving city. Originally this had been called New York, decades ago before the Second Alien war. But New York had been...less complicated than Mega Primus. The Megalopolis was thriving and vibrant, it bore no traces of the decimation that had befallen the world after the destruction of the Alien colony ship that ended the Second Alien War.  
X-Com Corporate President Henry Williams sat at the end of the black glass table that had to be twenty feet long. The twenty other seats at the table each occupied by one of the lower level executives that ran the X-Com Sub divisions. They were looking at the hologram pod that had just cut off.  
The room was quiet. But not silent, a low chatter permeated the room.  
"Ladies, Gentlemen and Androids, the City Senate has asked us to investigate this transmission and have made overtones that they feel it would 'be in the best interests of all parties involved' if we figured something out." Williams said looking around the able. His dark skin and large black eyes set him apart from most of the people seated at the table.  
  
He was a Hybrid, a product of alien experimentation during the First Alien War. Of course, his kind had to struggle with adversity, and becoming the head of an organization that had waged war against his ancestors was thanks in no small part to his savvy as a soldier and a businessman. "The transmission is genuine from all we can tell. It matches no known transmission medium and was broadcast from a large, ring like structure. It's been referred to as 'HALO' and is made of an alien alloy unlike any we've encountered." Xiana said. She was a Hybrid as well, and the head of X-Com's R&D division. "Sir, if this message is accurate, and a full scale interstellar war is going on...then it's definitely worse than the First or Second Alien wars." High Commander Murray said. That's what his name was, Murray. He was a sentient machine. Originally designed as an advanced combat unit in the battles to defend Mega Primus, he'd become self aware and risen to the rank of Supreme Commander of all X-Com Combat forces, both ground teams and fighter wings on the frontier. "The moral thing to do it to assist them of course..." Williams said. "But can we afford to? That's what you're asking." Yuri Toleraov said. He was a normal human and head of the Financial division of X-Com, responsible for picking apart every transaction, from electro flares to deep space bases, he decided who got funding for what. "Well, fiscally we could make a bundle selling Elerium and weapons to the warring parties. Hiring out our combat teams and fighter wings for a tidy sum would also result in net gain. If we set ourselves up as the sole weapons supplier to this 'UNSC' then we could make a killing!" Toleraov said gleefully. "Well, we have the accountant's okay to make war." Williams said and sent a ripple of laughter around the table. Even Toleraov laughed. "From a military standpoint, can we fight this?" "Yes, so long as we fight isolated actions and avoid full frontal assaults, we can conduct an effective military campaign and do some good. If needed we can begin large scale hiring and training of combat personnel should the need arise. Although we do have next to no information on the foe, I am confident that we can do some good." Murray said with the android equivalent of a smile. "Well then, let's send a company rep on a Patton Class Cruiser, along with a fighter wing and a suitable honor guard of course. They let's offer our services." Williams said.  
  
Earth [Forerunner Test Galaxy 652], Capital of the Human Alliance, Presidential Mansion  
  
President Nilla Momar sat behind his desk and read the reports that had been laid out before him. Most of it was trivial information, fleet and troop movement for defensive efforts along the border with the Antarans. Recent Psilon breaktroughs in nano technology. Increased production from the Klaclon Hives at Damocles XIV. Nothing new. But, near the bottom of the stack was something different.  
The President reached out and picked up the holodisk listening to the message that was sent out from an unexplored patch of space. The presidential science advisor stood stiff and silent in his hover chair. The Psilon was rigid, or as rigid as his frail, weak body could manage. But he was one of the smartest beings in the Galaxy.  
The name 'Human Alliance' had long since become an inaccurate title. During the brushfire wars of the 230's after those wars most of the Humanoid races had been brought together beneath the Human flag. The Evon, the Psilons and the Humans had united under a common flag. A century later the Saurian Confederacy was conquered, and after that the Sentient Machine Empire joined the Human Alliance through diplomatic means. They formed one of the most powerful united governments in the Orion sector.  
Next to the Harvester Empire and the domain of the New Orions, or rather Antarans by any other name... They held the greatest power imaginable.  
"Can we test the accuracy of this?" President Momar asked as the Holo finished playing.  
"Yes." The Psilon rasped through it's withered lips.  
"So, how can we interpret this?" Momar asked.  
"Antaran...ploy...humans...are not...found.... outside the....Orion sector." The Psilon wheezed.  
"How can you be sure, this report says that it wasn't broadcast on a frequency known to us." Momar said. The Psilon shifted uneasily, literally with great difficulty in it's chair.  
"Yes...true..." It rasped slowly.  
"And what gives you cause to doubt the validity of this statement?" Momar prompted.  
"Facts do....not...support...it." The Science advisor wheezed.  
"No, they don't but it has been analyzed as being valid. Hasn't it?"  
"Yes...but..."  
"I have no reason to doubt this message, and these Humans clearly are making a final plea for help. They're facing complete extinction. I intend to send aid." The President said. The Science advisor wheezed softly.  
"If...you...would excuse...me...Mr....President..." The Psilon said and hovered out of the office. President Momar sat at his desk then called the High Commander of the Human Alliance Military into his office.  
The Human Alliance's military forces were a potent force. They had the resources to wage a full-scale open war against any aggressive actions by the Harvesters. They could even combat the full might of the Antaran White fleet if they had too. But if they embarked upon a military action against an extra-galactic threat...  
The prospect of disaster was high.  
  
HALO Fortress world [Forerunner Test Galaxy 895: UNSC], UNSC led Summit meeting of Sentient Peoples, Room designated 'Council Chamber'  
  
The UNSC had decided to send out a blanket message through the HALO gate network. The UNSC couldn't hope to visit every single world that the HALO network reached. Rather they decided to draw every possible group to them. The message had reached countless worlds, inhabited by both Humans and other species, many of which were incapable of attending this meeting, and others incapable of realizing that a message had been sent.  
But those that came... They gave the UNSC hope. Hope that they could fight.  
  
The meeting hall had been one of the countless Forerunner structures that littered the inside of the HALO structure. Whatever it had been, it had long since been abandoned. The Large vaulted room was emblazoned with Forerunner iconography; the original meaning of the symbols only understood by the few AI's that had the translation software. The room itself was breathtaking. It was so large that it's own ceiling was shrouded and hidden from eyes that looked up. The smooth, open nature of the room meant that a large, council table could be erected along with a series of 'humanoid' suited chairs and seating. Standing beyond the end of the table was Ambassador Bueller. He stood silently gazing at the table and it's strange seats. He was steeling himself for what was to come. For he truly did not know what to expect, he was worrying over what was going to happen. From what they'd learned about the races that had been contacted, the room had been arranged accordingly. There were twelve seats at the circular table. One each for what could be considered the 'major' powers involved. Each race powerful and capable of rendering significant assistance to the war effort should they choose to fight alongside the UNSC. The Federation, the Klingon Star Empire, the Asguard, the Human Alliance, the 'X-Com' organization, and the New Republic, along with two different United States, the Tollan and the Tok'ra. Other seats, tables, and benches, sat around the main table, seating for the entourages that each ambassador brought along. Ambassador Bueller had been a part of the UNSC diplomatic Corps for almost thirty years. He had extensive negotiating experience and the ability to meld the wills of many different and diverse groups into a common, unifying goal. He had an innate gift for diplomacy, a gift that would be worth more than a moon made of pure gold right now. Not that gold would be worth anything if he failed...if he failed the Covenant should be handed earth since there was no way that they could be stopped. Bueller hung his head and prayed for some divine miracle to unite these diverse groups. The Federation, progressive explorers and scientists. The Klingon Star Empire, a military oriented culture. The Human Alliance, a massive government made of many different and highly diverse species. The Asguard, and alien race with highly developed technology and culture, yet slowly dying off. X-Com, a group with a long history of fighting technologically advanced alien races with meager assets, and culling victory from it. The New Republic, a loose collection of alien species and systems, based on a government that had collapsed. The US, its armies and fleets a powerful force to be reckoned with. The Tollan were scientific savants, and the Tok'ra were apparently good spies. Each group with extremely valuable assets that could be utilized. But with such diverse and differing cultures and governments, the form of co- operation needed could never truly manifest without a truly tremendous effort. Bueller shuddered. He looked up at the guards by the door. The Spartans. They stood stiff and at attention. They were armed, and probably had a lot less to worry about right now than he did. Even though this was a 'summit' meeting for lack of a better term. But there was still a massive amount of apprehension on the part of every single 'delegate' attending. Although there really wasn't a term that could describe those that were here right now. What do you call someone that you're begging for help with a losing war? Bueller frowned. He'd dealt with diplomatic problems more akin to trade disputes. Not intergalactic negotiations. Especialy not intergalactic negotiations that held the fate of his entire people on the line... No sir... But for some reason unknown to the gods he was stuck in here, negotiating for aid. Military, Scientific, Economic, anything he could get, no matter what the cost. For a brief moment Bueller envied those Spartans. Compared to what he had to do, it was simple. They just killed. That was all. They didn't have to worry about interpreting the motivations and reasons behind their enemy. No, just pull the trigger and that was that. Simple. Bueller grunted and sighed. Well...he'd better get on with it. "Okay...let them enter." Bueller said to the Master Chef. The armor clad Spartan nodded imperceptibly and the doors that he and the others were standing by slid open. The first through the door was the Federation ambassador, striding in next to the Klingon representative. Behind them was the United States representatives from the 'SGC' was the Asguard representative. He kept pace with the larger human, despite his small stature. Well... 'It' kept pace. Behind that pair was the Human Alliance ambassador marching along side the New Republic envoy. Walking along behind the New Republic and Human Alliance reps was the Ambassador from the 'other' United States, and beside him the X-Com corporate Representative. The Tollan and the Tok'ra emissaries followed behind them. The walked in silently and moved to the different chairs around the table. Each representative sat down and looked around at the other delegates. Silently the entourages and escorts for the delegates followed. There were quite a few of them; every chair and table in the room was filled with people.  
Bueller inhaled and nodded to the Spartans, they walked out of the room and shut the doors.  
"My fellow beings..." Bueller began his speech.  
  
John looked around the aliens and other humans that sat around the room. He was fighting his curiosity. A good soldier knew that they should learn everything they could about something new. But not to become so fascinated with it that he couldn't focus on other things.  
He looked about at the other humans in the room. The Federation had proved their worth; John had seen that first hand. They could fight, and they could fight well. He didn't know about the Human alliance representative. Likewise with the two US reps and the X-Com rep. He hadn't seen them in action. Of course, he had seen their escorts, and they looked capable enough.  
He was about to study the alien representatives when Bueller nodded. The signal for him and the other Spartans to leave; he saluted and headed out of the room. The other Spartans trailed along with him and they shut the doors. The Spartans headed back to the surface to meet with the other troops that had accompanied the UNSC delegation, and to observe the other troops.  
  
One lift and several ramps later, they were on the surface. The Forerunner bunker was situated in a wide open grassy field. There had been nothing there besides the bunker. Right now it looked like a cross between a military encampment and a bazaar.  
The multitude of different military cultures in one place had meant two things. First, they all felt a certain kinship since they were all soldiers and had been in battle. And second, they were all curious as hell about just what the other guys were packing.  
The troops mingled about gawking at what the other soldiers had. Either out of envy or out of humor at seeing what passed for weapons in some groups. Small groups of troops stood around others, their multitude of different uniforms showing that they weren't concerned with any kind of threats right now.  
A similar scene was probably going on in orbit amongst the navy boys. Probably gawking at each other's hardware and looking to see who had the biggest ship.  
About twenty troopers seemed to be extremely fascinated by a short stocky female Colonial Marine demonstrating what she called a 'Smartgun'. She carried the massive weapon easily and panned it around slightly as a pair of towering Wookiees studied the weapon intently, roaring and growling between each other; they were commenting on the design and construction of the weapon. About five ODSTs were looking open mouthed at the weapon, one even asked how it worked.  
"I dunno' I just know that it finds things for me to shoot." The marine said and seemed as though she cradled the weapon lovingly.  
Another group of Federation marines were examining an X-Com soldier in his black sculpted body armor.  
"So, what kind of power source do you use?"  
"Elerium power core. It can keep me fully powered for 72 hours of constant combat. A week of basic functions at low power mode."  
"What's Elerium?"  
"Uh...you're kidding right?"  
A rather large group of troopers stood watching a Klingon warrior and a Sakkaran from the Human alliance in full armor sparring. The Klingon was slightly shorter than the towering saurian warrior in armor, but it was turning into a furious fight. They were both good, and the flurry of motion and speed on such a large scale was a sight to see.  
It wasn't just the soldiers that were examining each other's gear and skills, the pilots were doing the same.  
The two pilots from the Colonial Marine UD-4 dropship were talking with the pilot of the UNSC Pelican dropship. The pilots were engaged in a furious debate over which ship was more maneuverable. The Weapons officers in each couldn't care less, they were more concerned with which ship had more firepower. The pair of pilots seemed to be close to coming to blows.  
"That bugger couldn't make a Mach 4 turn if it's existence depended on it!" The UNSC Pelican pilot shouted.  
"And you think that hulk could?" The Colonial Marine UD-4 pilot shot back.  
"So, you only have that chaingun?" The Colonial Marine weapons officer asked looking at the Pelican.  
"Yeah, sometimes we get missiles." The UNSC WO said.  
"Bah, we've got just about anything you could want on a UD-4 Cheyenne. Rockets, Missiles, guns, you name it we've got it, standard." The Colonial marine said.  
"Wow, how do you get that thing to fly?" The UNSC WO said.  
"That's his problem." The Colonial marine replied nodding at his pilot. Both weapons officers rolled their eyes as the two pilots continued to argue.  
Everything was odd to say the least, so many different military groups interacting, and comparing each others weapons was coming close to comical. They all seemed like kids in a candy store, whether drooling over the technology or the skills that the other troops had, they were all fascinated with what every one else had. But even if the fleet personnel and the soldiers were intensely fascinated with each other, that wasn't necessarily the same attitude.  
  
HALO Fortress world [Forerunner Test Galaxy 895: UNSC], UNSC led Summit meeting of Sentient Peoples, Room designated 'Council Chamber'  
  
"So, let me get this straight, you've been fighting a war against an alien race that is far in advance of anything you can be capable of. And they've managed to wipe out nearly all of your off world colonies?" Colonel O'Neill asked.  
"Yes. That's the bulk of it." Ambassador Bueller said.  
"Okay, I just wanted to clarify that point."  
"We can sympathize with your plight Ambassador. The Human Alliance was conqured by the Antaran race millennia ago, our worlds were destroyed and we were herded back to our homeworld." The Human Alliance Ambassador said, he was a portly man who answered to the name Halladu.  
"Yes. The Asguard have also faced the prospect of Extinction at the hands of the Replicators." Thor said.  
"Gentelmen, and...beings... You can sit there and sympathize all you want with our plight. We don't need sympathy. We need help. We need ships, soldiers and weapons. Not sympathy. We'll save the sympathy and emotion for after this war is over." Bueller said.  
The delegates at the table looked around slowly.  
"We sent out a message asking for help. Not for some hollow words. From what I've learned, you've all fought the Covenant, or you're fought their 'allies'. You've seen how they operate, you've even seen what they've done to our worlds. The UNSC cannot stop this on our own. We can't save what few people we have left on our own. The UNSC fleet is in tatters. The ground troops we have available can't do much against a Covenant Cruiser glassing a planet." Bueller said.  
"The UNSC's naval assets are spent, we can't defend earth. Hell, we can't even hurt the Covenant if they head for earth. They'll come to earth, and they'll annihilate the few ships we have left. After that, they can either land troops or glass the world from orbit. And we won't be able to do a damn thing to stop them."  
"Surely your warriors will give their lives in glorious battle?" The Klingon ambassador with an unpronounceable name said.  
"But it's usually better to make the other guy's warriors lay down their lives in glorious battle than your own warriors isn't it?" Colonel O'Neill said. The Klingon sent a murderous look at the human.  
"Of course, we can see the problems that exist with a mass mobilization of forces, can't you? Surely...their could be a diplomatic solution couldn't there?" The Bothan New Republic ambassador said, his name was Borsk'Fey'la  
"Diplomatic? Diplomatic?" Clearly, you do not understand what the Covenant is." Bueller said, Fey'la cut him off quickly.  
"From what we can ddeduce from your reports, no dedicated effort has been made to negotiate with them. Perhaps that avenue should be explored before we commit resources."  
"Excuse me ambassador, but what kind of fool are you?" The Human Alliance ambassador said being very blunt.  
Fey'la sat there, unaccustomed to such straightforward comments.  
"Tyrants and oppressors will take what they want until they have what they want. Appeasement and negotiation are foreign to them. The only language such creatures know is that of force. The UNSC needs the forces to save their people. Forces that the Human Alliance is willing to commit." Halladu said.  
"You're willing to help us?" Bueller asked.  
Halladu stood and bowed.  
"Yes Ambassador, our armies and fleets will aid your people in their struggle." Halladu said.  
"Thank you Ambassador. You have no idea the gratitude that our people fell for your nation." Bueller said and returned the bow.  
"The Federation is more that willing to aid those that are being unjustly persecuted and annihilated. The United Federation of Planets will render whatever aid is needed to end the UNSC – Covenant War." The Federation ambassador said.  
"The Klingon Star Empire shall honor our commitments to the Federation and render assistance to the UNSC in glorious battle." The Klingon ambassador added.  
"Thank you, thank you both." Bueller said.  
"Well, we'll help out how we can. But it won't be much. The US is on your side." O'Neill added with a shurug.  
"The United States of America will also come to the aid of the UNSC. Our fleets and soldiers will uphold the longstanding traditions of the US in protecting freedom and Democracy." The other US ambassador said.  
"His sounded better." O'Neill muttered.  
"The Asguard owe a great many debts to the Human race for their aid in preventing the extinction of our race. We shall gladly aid any Human culture in it's own defense." Thor said.  
"I thank you." Bueller added, he really couldn't say much more than 'thank you' right now.  
"The X-Com Corporate office has authorized me to offer our substantial military and technological experiences in this war. We have a longstanding tradition in fighting alien forces with limited resources. This of course, will come at a price." The X-Com corporate rep said.  
"What price?"  
"Technology and materials. X-Com isn't a non-profit organization."  
"Of course." Bueller responded.  
"If it is as you say, and the Goa'uld have joined the 'Covenant' than we are sworn to eliminate them, as well as the Goa'uld. The Tok'ra shall assist your plight as best we can." The Tok'ra ambassador said.  
"Despite the longstanding policy of the Tollan people, we shall not give technology, but we shall provide resources needed to defeat this foe." The Tollan Ambasador said.  
All eyes at the table turned to the Bothan that sat there, it's fur rippling slightly as it looked about.  
"The New Republic cannont allow any sentient species to be destroyed by such a foe. We will render as much aid as possible." Borsk'Fey'La said, he sounded as though it were forced against more natural inclinations.  
"Gentlemen and Beings. The forces united in this room shall spell doom for the Covenant Hegemony, and all that may deign to serve their twisted ends. May this Coalition defeat the evil in the Galaxy, and truly create a golden age for all Sentient Peoples." Bueller said.  
  
Okay, I'm sorry this took sooooo bloody long. But don't worry next chappie should be faster and much more combat oriented.  
  
Chapter 8: How long can we hold? 


	9. Chapter 8: How Long can we hold?

Chapter 8: How long can we Hold?  
  
It's strange, how when you've been in the dark so long, how dazzlingly bright the smallest light is. It's amazing that after so long you've been without hope, and yet...never really known how hopeless it was until you can see that it is possible to survive.  
That it is possible to win.  
  
The defenses that the UNSC had mustered to defend earth had been pathetic. Even with the bolstered forces the UNSC fleet had managed, it was a mere 89 vessels that had made up Earths defensive armada. The ships had been stripped from most of the inner colonies, and even with the skeleton defenses throughout the remnants of the United Nations colonies, there was no way the Fleet could defeat a determined Covenant assault. The bulk of the UNSC fleet had been at Reach, and they'd been devastated by it's destruction.  
There was no way that the UNSC forces could hold out on it's own.  
  
But three days after the summit meeting that had been convened the first vessels began arriving. A small detachment of eighteen vessels from the Human Alliance had arrived. Their boxy forms bristled with weapons and were defended with thick layers of Adumantium armor and heavy shielding. Missile launch racks were mounted on the prows of the ships. Even the six vessels in the center of the armada boasted large cavernous launch bays that carried swarms of heavy starfighters and assault craft.  
  
The next day a large mixed detachment arrived from the Klingon Star Empire and the Federation. Four Akira class Heavy Cruisers and two Sovereign class Battleships made up the core of the Federation contingent, escorted by twelve lighter Intrepid vessels and ten Defiant class Light Cruisers.  
  
The Klingon ships looked much more dangerous than their Federation allies, they had sharp, predatory lines and looked to be much more heavily armed. Eight Negh'Var class battleships made a strong core for the Klingon line. The heavy, massive ships looked like they could decimate any foe before them. Twenty Fek'Lhr class Heavy Cruisers were formed up around the core battleships. At the perimeter of the massive formation were a mixture of K'Vort class Destroyers and D'rek class Frigates. This force looked to be enough to smack down any Covenant assault on their own.  
  
Arriving on that same day were twenty Asguard warships arrived. The massive, silver tinged ships dwarfed the large Negh'Var battleships. Their size and sleek lines seemed as though they were close to putting the Federation vessels to shame.  
  
It wasn't just fleet vessels that were arriving either. The US had dispatched two Divisions worth of Colonial Marines, and forty Conestoga Class assault transports. The US vessels had Nuclear weapons and full complements of Cheyenne dropships and weapons. The Colonial Marines had some fierce ground troops; they were packing energy weapons and heavy armor, and enough to complement the UNSC Marine forces on world.  
  
The Coalition forces – as the united governments had decided to call themselves – had standardized their rank systems and command organizations, but beyond that they had managed very little. Design teams and scientists were working feverishly on trying to make all the different technologies and military hardware to work together, but it wasn't easy.  
  
A UNSC MA5B assault rifle and a Colonial Marine M41A Pulse Rifle were both projectile weapons, but they were radically different. The MA5B used a 60 round clip of 5.56mm ammo. The M41A Pulse Rifle used a 99 round magazine of 10mm rounds, plus a 30mm grenade launcher.  
  
And those were the similar weapons systems. Even comparing a New Republic Firelance blaster rifle and an X-Com Mk.6 Tachyon Disruptor Rifle was difficult. The New Republic weapon worked by using Tabanna gas in power cells, the X-Com weapon used an extra-dimensional power source.  
  
SGC, Asguard, Tollan and Tok'ra vessels were all powered using Naquida and Naquadria, elements unique to their galaxies. Federation and Klingon ships used Dilithium crystals. X-Com vessels and fighters consumed Elerium. The Colonial marine ships used Lithium-Hydride fusion for propulsion.  
  
UNSC and Colonial marine armor was a layered form of combat armor. X-Com troops had full body suits with cloaking devices, layered shields and energy dissipating armor. The New Republic ground troops wore blast vests designed to work against projectile weapons and shrapnel, with limited energy protection.  
  
But for all their differences they had, they still had one common goal, defeat of the Covenant. And for all their differences, they could at least hold that one in common. They had to win, because if they didn't no historians would be around to say they hadn't.  
  
Deep Space near Gergidon 3 asteroid field, Human Alliance Covert Ops Battle Cruiser 'Forestall', Briefing room Alpha – 2  
  
John sat in the briefing room in silence. He wore his simple set of marine fatigues with the Spartan unit patch on each shoulder. The other four Spartans sat with him, they didn't boast name tags, merely SPARTAN followed by their number. They didn't have names really, not for anyone outside the unit. Just numbers.  
John glanced around at the other personnel in the room. From what he'd been told this was a Recon mission to get a better feel for the Covenant forces, and apparently they were going to make contact with spies inside some of the Covenant's forced subjects.  
John's eyes drifted towards the X-Com troopers towards the back of the briefing room. They wore completely black jumpsuits. Their nameplates on their chests set out in gold lettering. On each of the troopers a small series of symbols and ribbons was set. Unit commendations and personal citations, and if number was any indicator, they were pretty well regarded.  
His eyes darted to the next collection of people. There were four of them, and from the looks of them they were a cohesive unit. Their unit patches were slightly odd, a strange symbol that John didn't recognize, but he did know they were from the 'SGC'. John's eyes fell upon the strange tattoo that the largest one of them had on his forehead.  
Clearly they weren't as professional as they seemed. Tattoos? In such plain view on 'professional' military personnel? Preposterous.  
He glanced at the few representatives of the group called the Tok'ra. Apparently much like the 'Goa'uld', yet philosophically different. John didn't care much so long as he didn't have do worry about them shooting at him.  
John returned his attention to the front of the room. A large holo projector dominated the front wall with a small podium. The small door set behind the podium opened and a robot strode through.  
It had a humanoid form. Its body was very utilitarian. No real body plating, just something akin to a human skeleton, chromed and shining in the ship's light. The robot's torso boasted a series of insignia and symbols, rank and combat awards. Of course, in the UNSC, robots, AI's and other artificial constructs were not considered to be 'equal' to humans. But the Human Alliance had a large facet of their population from a group know as the 'Sentient Machine Empire', an organization that was entirely made up of mechanical and non-organic constructions. They were considered to be equal to organics in all respects, even military position.  
"Attention on he deck!" John barked. His mind remembered the Human Alliance insignia for a Lt. Colonel that was prominently displayed on the 'collar' of the machine.  
Most of the assembled troopers stood up at attention. But the oldest of the SGC soldiers with gray hair remained seated. The SGC officer was a Colonel.  
"At ease." The Robot ordered. The stiff troops relaxed and sat back down.  
"I am command unit RX-128-Alpha-9, manufacture designation. My Sentient designation is Lieutenant Colonel Yarn Ignations. I am chief Special operations command officer for operations sector code named 'Jurisprudence'. Responsible for the ninth quadrant of the Antran – Human Alliance border and on temporary duty with the UNSC military high command." The Robot, Lt. Colonel Ignations said. His voice was not the rasping, grating noise that one would expect from such a utilitarian design. It was rich and all too human. But it still held the over-informative nature of a machine.  
"This operation was formed to launch an intelligence probe of the current Covenant fleet strength. New Republic Intelligence has sent 'Ferret' long-range stealth reconnaissance craft on deep probing missions into what we've designated as Covenant Space." The Lt. Colonel said. The Holo projector flared to life and brought up a swirling representation of the UNSC galaxy. A large swath of red that represented the Covenant covered a large portion of the galactic core and rim. The small patch of green representing the UNSC covered only a small part of a single spiral arm. But a large majority of the galaxy remained darkened, no green or red touching it.  
Several small white splotches were on the map, close to the green and red border. The holo zoomed in to one of the larger spots. It was placed dangerously close to the border. As the image zoomed in, small labels appeared on several of the key stars. The blob was marked as 'Covenant Fleet Marshaling Zone one'; the closest star was marked as 'Sol'.  
"We are currently two light years out from the extreme perimeter of the Covenant fleet zone. Our mission objective is to launch a small, Tok'ra transport vessel carrying the strike team. They will infiltrate the main Covenant battle station and extract a high placed Jaffa. He has vital information on Covenant fleet strengths and troop deployments. It is imperative that we extract him." Lt. Colonel Ignations said.  
"In the case that our forces are compromised, the Forestall will come in and extract us with force. Elements of the 9TH Saurian Shock Division are on board and are prepared for combat." Ignatious said, but the Master Chief stood up.  
"With all due respect sir, we're walking into an overwhelming number of enemy vessels, and they're Covenant, which means we're out classed, horribly. If you have to come in to extract us, we're already dead sir." John said being blunt.  
"Don't get caught then." The robot replied.  
"Yessir." John said and sat down.  
"Who exactly is it we're trying to retrieve?" One of the X-Com soldiers asked, rising from her seat.  
"His name is Brae'Tak a prominent Jaffa and leader of the Jaffa rebellion. Before the Covenant took control of the Goa'uld System Lords he was a hunted man. Now he still has a place among the Jaffa serving the Goa'uld, and by extension, the Covenant."  
"We won't have to worry about the contact winding up dead before we get there will we sir?" Fred asked.  
"Master Brae'Tak is a formidable warrior. He shall be present when we arrive." The tattooed SGC member said.  
"Good, because I have dragging bodies back."  
"The jump off time for the Shuttle is in four hours. I suggest you all spend that time getting ready for the mission."  
  
Despite the large size of the Human Alliance vessel, it was like any military vessel, cramped and overcrowded. The different strike teams were crammed into one room that seemed to be vying for the title of 'smallest niche on ship'. And for all intents and purposes it seemed to be winning the title. The teams were keeping their gear secure in the room, they had bunks elsewhere. Thankfully they didn't all have to sleep in the room as well. But right now they were all in the room prepping their gear.  
The four Spartan's hadn't removed their armor, they were in an unfamiliar environment...allies or not. The busied themselves with checking their weapons and equipment. They were still carrying MA5B assault rifles. There hadn't been any weapons shipments to the UNSC yet. But the Human Alliance, New Republic, and X-Com had all promised weapons to be provided...John would believe that when the weapons turned up.  
The X-Com commandos were donning their own unique armor. It was entirely black, and had smoothly rounded edges. A large, 'hump' was on the backplate of each unit of armor. One of the X-Com troopers had explained it housed the shielding systems and cloak generator. John knew that they had better shields and cloaks than the Covenant, he'd seen them in action. John half wished his armor had shields that good and a cloaking device.  
Another X-Com operative picked up one of their Mk. 6 Tachyon Disruptor rifles. It was slightly longer than an MA5B and had a slight bulge at the shoulder end. John had seen a demonstration of that as well. The weapon had boiled through four inches of titanium in less than ten seconds of fully automatic firing. The integral grenade launcher beneath the weapon's barrel could fire a range of projectiles using an electromagnetic launcher it was a mini-Rail gun. Add the different grenades that the X-Com troops had, Elerium grenades with as much power as a high explosive demolitions pack; Chemical weapons attuned to specific alien DNA patterns, 'Alien Gas' as they called it; monomolecular flechette grenades, capable of sending out a cloud of fragments capable of ripping through titanium body armor. The average X-Com soldier was capable of  
If the X-Com team was best equipped, and the Spartans were best trained, the SGC team seemed to be least equipped to deal with combat. The extent of their combat gear were submachineguns, low caliber pistols, and a few light energy weapons. They appeared to be woefully under armed to deal with a full-scale war against an alien race. But the information said that the SGC had been fighting the 'Goa'uld' for almost a decade now, and they were winning.  
"So, what's with that fancy suit of armor?" The gray haired SGC officer asked.  
John paused for half a beat; he realized that his faceplate was staring straight at the officer.  
"Sir?" John asked, noting the small insignia on the other soldier's collar; Colonel.  
"How did you wind up with that fancy armor? Most of the other soldiers I've seen from your group boast simpler stuff." The Colonel asked.  
"SPARTAN program, sir." John said. He wasn't eager to enter into a conversation with a Colonel.  
"And that is..."  
"Classified sir."  
"Ah. Okay then."  
"Yes sir." John said and lapsed back into silence as he stripped, checked and reassembled his weapon with almost no thought involved; it was basic...it was instinct to him. He'd been doing this sort of thing since he was seven. He'd been a professional soldier for so long he could not...he would not know any other life.  
  
X-Com Squad leader Sergeant Harris von Kilmounge had been a part of X- Com for fifteen years. He'd joined up after leaving Megapol (The Mega Primus PD) back when the Aliens were launching the first attacks on the city. He'd fought for three long years, in a brutal war that had laid waste too much of the city over time and decimated X-Com's military forces. But the organization had prevailed, and SLS Kilmounge had been one of the veteran operatives selected to fight in the UNSC – Covenant war, or 'The Big'un' as many of the veteran troops were beginning to call it.  
X-Com records and information dated back to the First and Second Alien wars, full-fledged invasion attempts of earth. And their brothers had beaten back the alien hordes and made earth safe. X-Com fighter wings fought the aliens on the frontiers of human controlled space, and Combat teams waged an unceasing war with the alien remnant. But X-Com had never had a part in a full-scale war, at least modern X-Com hadn't.  
Corporate command was working feverishly to develop a much larger and stronger financial and industrial base for combat. Older designs were being reinstated and reworked for large scale production. Armor, small arms, explosives and Chemical weapons production were being pushed beyond their limits to assist in the war. Fighter production had quadrupled from 25 spacecraft to 100 per month. There was talk of boosting production to an upper limit of 500 a month.  
But Kilmounge didn't care about that he was a ground pounder. He was donning his Disruptor armor. The black body suit was tight over his jumpsuit. But he'd worn it for almost five years now and it felt like a second skin to him. He felt the tingle as the Elerium power core charged and activated, then a sensation of static all over his body as the shielding and cloaking device activated.  
Satisfied by the green lights in his heads up display, and the local area map placing the rest of his unit, Kilmounge picked up his Tachyon Disruptor rifle. The weapon was a comforting weight in his hands. Even though it was a strictly human design, reverse engineered and modified from the Aliens Devastator Cannon weapon, Kilmounge loved the instrument of death. It had substantial firepower on it's own, and even more flexibility from the integral grenade launcher beneath the main barrel. The veteran trooper slung the weapon and began to pick up his equipment. A selection of grenades was the limit of his secondary gear. Alien gas and stun grenades, along with Elerium charges, and monomolecular flechette grenades.  
  
These were weapons that the old veterans from the First Alien War would have killed to have. Invisibility and energy shielding, energy weapons, and Elerium explosives; things the old soldiers could never have even thought to wish for. The old salts in high command had figured out just exactly how many of those old soldiers from the First Alien war would take to equal one Modern X-Com trooper. Something on the order of thirty to one. Amazing what almost seventy-five years equaled. Come to think of it, those old troopers from the First Alien war...they'd been armed much like the SGC team.  
Kilmounge looked around at the other soldiers in the room and felt slightly sorry for them, they were so woefully under armed and armored for this type of fight. Even the UNSC Spartans with their excellent armor and training...they were still unprepared.  
The haggard, veteran X-Com operative charged his Tachyon Disruptor rifle and looked at the others. How many of them were going to wind up dead from this mission. Kilmounge frowned, war with the Aliens had always had taken too many lives, too many good lives. He thought back to the X- Com memorial on Earth.  
It was a simple wall in the center of Millennium Park, the largest green space in the epic urban expanse of Mega Primus. So many names adorned it, Names from the First alien war on the land, and the Second beneath the waves, names from the war for Mega Primus, names from the fleets in the outer rim, and soon...names from this conflict.  
Countless thousands adorned the simple monument, how many more would be added from this conflict?  
  
Colonel O'Neill laced up the remainder of his bootlaces and shifted the Trinium trauma plate in his combat vest. The lightweight, ultra tough armor plate was rated to withstand a Goa'uld staff weapon. Jack shifted at the unfamiliar weight. It was unnerving have something that light considered capable of stopping an energy blast. He'd been apprehensive when they'd considered using Titanium trauma plating, weight hand it's drawbacks. But this stuff was light, and it worked well. That was all Jack cared about.  
But, he was slightly envious of the gear that the X-Com troopers and the UNSC Spartans had. Those were some pretty nice suits of armor. He noticed that the tinted faceplate of one of the troopers was fixed on him.  
"So, what's with that fancy suit of armor?" Jack asked looking at the bright green body armor, so akin to medieval plate armor.  
"Sir?" The Spartan replied.  
"How did you wind up with that fancy armor? Most of the other soldiers I've seen from your group boast simpler stuff." John pushed forward.  
"SPARTAN program, sir." The Spartan replied simply.  
"And that is..."  
"Classified sir."  
"Ah. Okay then." Jack conceded.  
"Yes sir." The titan of a soldier said and fell silent.  
Jack shrugged and looked back to the P90 he was working on. He'd been told repeatedly, that if he wanted they could take along with them. M4s, CAR-14s, SAWs, anything they wanted they could have brought along. He'd wanted to stick with P90's, 9mms and a few Zats. Nothing fancy, if they did their job right they wouldn't have to worry about anything.  
Unfortunately he had been thinking of the best-case scenario; stupid, stupid, stupid. The X-Com soldiers and the Spartans had been thinking more rationally. They looked like they were decked out to face an angry Jaffa army. Jack glanced at the rest of SG-1.  
Carter looked like she was about to start drooling over the gear that the others were packing, human designed and built energy shielding and cloaking devices, human designed energy weapons and advanced explosives. Major Carter seemed like it was taking a lot of effort not to try and start tearing apart the various pieces of hardware everyone else was carrying.  
Daniel sat in silence next to Teal'c, and as usual the large Jaffa was silent. Of course, the pair of them were looking around, but nothing exactly fit their fields of expertise. A linguist and an alien warrior were slightly out of place compared to the group of soldiers that didn't converse, and the group of mercenaries from an organization that fought against aliens for over half a century.  
  
The hatch into the room slid open and one of the Tok'ra stepped in.  
"Are you ready?"  
"Good to go." SLS Kilmounge said.  
"Yes sir." John replied.  
"As we'll ever be." O'Neill replied.  
"The transport is ready. And the Commander has ordered us to the bays." The Tok'ra said. A few nods were exchanged and the large assemblage of diverse Special Forces troops followed the Tok'ra through the corridors of the vessel.  
As they walked they attracted a great deal of attention. Their armor and gear was wildly different from Human Alliance issue equipment, and they stuck out clearly amongst the gray jumpsuit clad ship's crew, and green camouflaged power armored forms of the 9TH Saurian Shock Division. Be they the immense forms of armored reptilian warriors, or the diminutive Gnomal ships crew, they gawked at the passers by.  
The procession made it through the ship and to the main hangar. They boarded it without incident, the cargo bay of the transport slightly packed with all the people. The small transport was not designed to be a troop ship, and it was difficult for everyone to fit inside comfortably.  
"Okay, we're launching. It should take us just about five seconds to head through hyperspace to the Covenant marshaling point. Our cover story is air tight, so we shouldn't have any problems. You all know what you're doing?" The Tok'ra pilot said as they lifted from the bay.  
"Yes mom." Colonel O'Neill said caustically.  
"Good." The Tok'ra replied, completely missing the Colonel's sarcasm. The ship shuddered slightly as it entered, and then rapidly exited hyperspace.  
And the view through the main port was worthy of a sharp intake of breath by everyone inside who could see.  
It was massive...A Covenant armada that was beyond number. So many ships flitted around in space.  
At the center of the massive formation were five of the massive Covenant constructs that filled the role of fleet depot, shipyard, and battle station. These immense structures dominated the core of the formation, they were large enough to compare to a large asteroid. Covenant Super carriers were docked at each, along with the gargantuan Yuuhzan Vong world ships. Small swarms darted through space around these structures; Covenant, Yevetha and Yuuhzan Vong fighter wings.  
Around these sleeping giants rested a fleet larger than any that had been before assembled. Covenant Frigates, Destroyers and Cruisers sailed through the void in patrol patterns. Yevetha Star Destroyers glided in silent patrol in formation with Goa'uld motherships. Large saucers flew about erratically amongst this armada.  
There had to be at least seven hundred Covenant Vessels, and their assorted allies amongst them.  
The Tok'ra said something in Goa'uld.  
"He's telling control that we're arriving with the load of Elerium requested." Daniel supplied.  
A harsh response came back.  
"We've just been challenged for the password."  
The Tok'ra replied. The harsh response came back.  
"And we're cleared." Daniel said sounding slightly relieved.  
"Well, good to know." O'Neill said.  
The small cargo ship flew through the jungle of enemy ships. Not a soul in the cargo bay dared breath. They were in the den of the enemy; if something went wrong...they'd be dead before they knew what they did wrong. For a few short moments, a flight of Yuuhzan Vong corral skippers, their asteroid like fighters fell in with them...then veered off.  
After an extremely jittery five minute flight into the belly of the beast they landed in one of the plethora of landing bays held at the central battle station. With a slight bump the docking clamps engaged and they were docked.  
"Now comes the fun part." One of the X-Com troopers said, a slight whine came from his weapon as it charged up. A few nods were exchanged amongst the Special Forces operatives in the cargo bay.  
"Alright. Spartans, you're on point. X-Com, follow us and make sure that we aren't going to get hit from behind. Teal'c, lead the way." Colonel O'Neill ordered. He was in charge of this operation since he was the highest ranked individual in the unit. The Spartans moved to the door out and cycled it open, revealing an empty cargo bay. The four large warriors moved out, sweeping through the bay and pronouncing it clear.  
SG-1 and the X-Com mercs moved out after them, falling into formation. The Spartans headed for the side wall of the small room and worked off an access panel they had known was there. They swept the interior, then disappeared into it's shadowed depths. The X-Com operatives sealed it behind them.  
The external speakers on the Master Chief's armor crackled to life.  
"We follow this for five hundred meters, then take it up fifty. That's where Brae'Tak should meet us." The female voice of Cortana said. Colonel O'Neill nodded and they moved forward. There was something deep within each of the soldiers that said his was far too easy, especially because of the lack of any guards, or security forces along the access corridor.  
They reached the vertical ascent and began climbing. Still no Covenant...  
"Okay, I've hacked into ships sensors and there aren't any Covenant Patrols in the area. It should be clear." Cortana said and they opened the access panel. Colonel O'Neill went through first and looked sideways, just in time to catch the end of a Staff Weapon along side the head. He grunted and flew sideways. Second through the hatch was the Master Chief, the weapon sliced down and John caught the weapon in one hand, te MA5B clutched in the other like a pistol, pointing around the side of the grate.  
"Master Brae'Tak." Teal'c said calmly.  
"So, it has taken you long enough to arrive." The wizened old Jaffa master said, stepping back from John, who lowered his weapon ever so slightly.  
"Do you always have to do that?" Colonel O'Neill asked, his tone muffled yet menacing from behind his hands.  
"I see that you have prepared yourselves somewhat better to face this 'Covenant' human." Brae'Tak said looking at the Spartans, then at the X-Com troopers.  
"I thought we'd gotten past the 'human' line...Am I bleeding?" O'Neill asked, directing the second question at the Master Chief. John looked at the officer and shook his head.  
"I am glad you have arrived the Covenant have learned that I am not what I appear." Brae'Tak said.  
"And what do you appear to be to them?" Cortana asked through John's speakers.  
"They believe me to be a loyal, mindless servant of their forces. I am not."  
"Of course." O'Neill said, glancing up and down the alien corridor.  
"We must go, the Yuuhzan Vong have been hunting me tirelessly." Brae'Tak said.  
"Who?"  
"Yuuhzan Vong...one of the many races this Covenant has subjugated beyond the Goa'uld, and the Jaffa." Brae'Tak said.  
Colonel O'Neill was about to say something but was interrupted by the sound of marching feet in the hallway. Before anyone could move, an orange robed figure glided around the bend in the corridor. It's large hood covering its face in deep shadow. Weak hands clutched a large, bulky weapon. It looked almost too heavy for the being to hold. It seemed to glide slightly off the ground rather than walk along it.  
For a fraction of a second they wondered what was making so many footfalls on the deck plating if this creature was hovering along. But that wonder ceased as it's followers rounded the corner.  
They were a sharp contrast to the orange robed leader. While the leader was tall, it seemed to be slim beneath the robes as they fell lankly to the floor. The orange robed creature seemed to be physically weak as well.  
These creatures were towering slabs of chiseled muscle. Their bodies looked like they were forged in the image of a god. They had no hair at all, be it on their body, or on their heads. They looked like they were capable of ripping apart one of the Spartans bare handed.  
They all carried the same bulky weapon that the leader had, but they looked much more suited to wield the massive armaments.  
SG-1 paused for a moment, they seemed to be waiting on Brae'Tak's actions. The Spartans waited on their orders. It was almost comical, watching the two groups stand still looking at each other. But the moment of not quite humor did not last.  
The X-Com troopers opened fire on the squad with extreme prejudice. Their weapons erupted in a stream in purplish light, slicing into the formation before any of the aliens had a chance to raise their weapons in response. The Orange clad alien tried to flee, but it had been the first one targeted by six different Tachyon Disruptor rifles. Where a torso and head should have been beneath the robes was vaporized.  
The entire patrol was simply mowed down as though they were blades of grass. They toppled down and lay twitching in the green ichor that was their entrails.  
The X-Com troopers didn't even blink when they did this. They knew what those things were, the enemy from the First Alien war.  
No one else had managed to even raise a weapon.  
"That was...fast." O'Neill said.  
"Ethereal leader with a Muton patrol. We had to vape them." Kilmounge said.  
"I see."  
"No Colonel, you don't. Ethereals are psionics, they can control your mind if they get half a chance. That means we had to kill them fast. And those Mutons bionic skin could shrug off your bullets easily." Kilmounge explained.  
"What he says is correct. We could not have won in a drawn out battle." Brae'Tak said.  
"Let's get out of here. They're going to be missed." Colonel O'Neill said nodding at the access shaft. Will turned back to the shaft and looked down, checking to make sure that it was clear. He ducked back quick, a burst from his MA5B flashing in the dim quarters. Something sailed up past his head as he yanked it back; it looked like a jagged spine of sorts. A few more peppered up through the shaft as Will pulled a grenade and lobbed it into the shaft.  
"Company." Will announced unnessicarily.  
"Let's move!" Colonel O'Neill ordered heading down the corridor past the slaughtered Mutons and Ethereal.  
John and the other Spartans leapfrogged away from the open access shaft as the grenade detonated. A few more rounds came from the access corridor.  
"I'm picking up a general alert on the Covenant battle net. I'd say they've set off the intruder alert." Cortana said over the speakers. She was cut off from further comment when a mixture of staff weapon blasts, jagged darts, and green energy pulses filled the air. The clatter of the Spartan's assault rifles opened fire at their assailants, a mixture of the large green 'Mutons', Jaffa, and strange, hideous humanoids that looked as though they were sheathed in some sort of shell armor.  
The Spartan's weapons seemed to be ineffective against the Muton's skin, and sparked off the crab like carapace armor on the deformed humanoids. Only the X-Com Tachyon Disruptor Rifles had the capacity to take down these threats.  
"Concentrate your fire on the Jaffa." Colonel O'Neill ordered the Spartans. The super soldiers redirected their fire on the aliens and began to drop them with lethally accurate bursts of fire. The rest of SG-1 were directing their fire at the Jaffa as well, they couldn't even scratch whatever the Muton skin was, or what that funky crab armor was. Somehow the stuff was just shrugging off bullets.  
It wasn't shrugging of the X-Com weapons so easily. The purple energy discharges illuminated the halls of the Covenant ship, adding to the inhuman color schemes and patterns. The sliced through the encroaching throng of enemies with ridiculous ease, but there were a whole lot of enemies to slice down with ridiculous ease. They kept advancing towards the stalled special ops team.  
"Move sir! We can hold them." Kilmounge barked over his comm. Colonel O'Neill nodded, cut down a charging Jaffa with a burst of fire and ordered the fall back. The Spartans did so without question, they maintained a heavy volume of fire on the charging Jaffa; they weren't going to waste ammo on the Mutons or Yuuhzan Vong.  
The X-Com commandos didn't budge. They kept up their unrelenting barrage, not flinching at the sight of the advancing enemy. One of the troopers reached down and grabbed something off the side of his armor. It looked like a Frisbee with spokes around it. He fiddled with the center of the device, looked back and then lobbed the 'disk'. As one the X-Com commandos bolted backwards, running faster than they should have been able to do so encumbered by their layers of armor and gear.  
"SEAL THAT DOOR!" Kilmounge screamed as his team sprinted towards the others. They had just passed through an archway representing one of the many internal hatches within the Covenant battle station. Major Carter lunged at the controls and began working with them. She fumbled with them, but Cortana shouted an order to her and she hit the right holo switch. The doors ground slowly closed, too slow, and yet much too fast. The X-Com soldiers were too far... They wouldn't be able to make it....  
But a final burst of frantic speed sent the eight X-Com commandos tumbling through the doors in a forward dive. They ground slowly shut and sealed with a clang.  
"What was tha-" Colonel O'Neill asked, but the X-Com troopers were still running.  
"MOVE! That thing's gonna blow!" Kilmounge shouted over his shoulder as he kept running. SG-1 glanced at each other and started to run after them, and the Spartans followed, keeping pace with SG-1.  
The cleared a bend in the corridor when an earsplitting rumble and the air in the corridor seemed to shake. A scant moment later, the sound of wrenching metal echoed in the corridor and the walls of the corridor behind them. Then came a brief gout of flames around the corner, and then a waft of smoke followed by silence.  
"What was that?" Major Carter asked.  
"Elerium enriched vortex mine. It's based on the principles of an antimatter explosive charge, and the Elerium enriched core of the device magnifies the explosive a hundred fold over the original interdimensional charge." Kilmounge said, covering the corridor they hadn't been down.  
"Translation?" Colonel O'Neill asked.  
"Big boom, really big boom. Sir." Carter supplied.  
"That's all I need."  
"Yes sir."  
"That will not hold them for long." Brae'Tak said.  
"They won't be coming through there. That charge vaporized fifty meters of corridor, and caused a collapse sixty meters back." One of the X- Com troopers said glancing around the corner.  
"Okay, we need to move fast."  
"They know where we are and we have to get out of here. But the Covenant forces are on full alert now. The cargo ship won't be able to launch, they've sealed the bay. We won't go anywhere until we unseal it." Cortana said, her position of being a bug in the Covenant battle network proving her worth once again.  
"Alright. Master Chief." Colonel O'Neill said.  
"Sir?" John said snapping to attention.  
"I need you and the Spartans to clear a path to the shuttle bay. Kill anything that gets in the way, Covenant, Goa'uld, Muton, whatever. Get it done. Take Teal'c and Brae'Tak with you."  
"Yessir." John snapped and moved off towards the Shuttle bay at a run with the other Spartans. Teal'c and Brae'Tak followed, looking as though they had to push to keep up with the human super soldiers.  
"Kilmounge, you and your men come with us, we'll take down the control center and they get out of here."  
"Yessir." Kilmounge replied and headed up towards what had been identified as the control room  
  
The Spartans:  
  
John sprinted down the hallway at top speed. The half ton of armor and human thundered along the hall as he and the other Spartans ran. Teal'c and Brae'Tak followed along with some difficulty. It was hard to move silently, and considering that the Covenant were actively looking for them, it would be foolish to attempt stealth. They had to hit hard and fast. He was shocked at the impotence their assault rifles had on the aliens. Covenant forces dropped easily enough, grunts, Jackals, Elites and even Brutes went down. But he'd sunk two magazines, a hundred and twenty rounds, into the chest and head of one of those Mutons, and it had barely paused...  
John shrugged off the thought, he couldn't afford to dwell on the ineffective nature of his weapons, he just had to remember it and move on.  
They rounded a bend and emerged smack dab in the middle of a patrol; this one was made up of grunts and elites, easy enough to deal with. Some rifle smashing, full auto and a few staff weapon blasts and the aliens were laid out on the decking, dead.  
They could see it, the main access door to the hangar. It was so close; all they had to do was clear the way there and secure the transport. But between them was another patrol. Yuuhzan Vong and Yevetha troops, they were standing behind a pair of knee high black shields, they didn't flinch as the UNSC and rebel Jaffa rounded the corner. The Yevetha leveled their blasters, and the Yuuhzan Vong aimed some sort of organic looking contraption.  
Crimson blaster bolts and a flurry of the strange chitin darts sailed down the corridor. One of the darts skipped off John's armor, causing his shielding to flare and drop slightly.  
"Take them down." John ordered Linda, she nodded and raised her sniper rifle. With a quick dart around the corner, she aimed and fired four of the heavy sabot rounds in quick succession. She pulled back quickly from the corner as a smatter of chitin and blaster bolts hit the Covenant alloy bulkhead.  
John leaned around the corner and looked at the barricade, none of the aliens had fallen. Linda didn't miss shots, something had to have happened...but what?  
"Your projectile weapons will have no effect." Brae'Tak said.  
"What?" John said turning back.  
"The Covenant are like the Goa'uld. They steal what technology and weapons they have. They also bring many of the tactics and styles of the races they subjugated. These, 'Yevetha' use special shielding units that can fully stop projectiles." Brae'Tak explained. John frowned behind his faceplate. They had to get past this position, and clear out a passage to the cargo ship.  
"Cortana, any passageways we could use?" John asked.  
"As a matter of fact..." Cortana said and a small point illuminated on John's heads up display. "...This passage takes you right to the cargo ship, unfortunately, it's too small for any of the Spartans to get through." Cortana said.  
"We shall enter the passage and attack them from the rear." Teal'c said. Brae'Tak nodded.  
John was reluctant, the whole reason they were here was to yank out Brae'Tak and get the intel he had. If he got himself killed on the way to their exfiltration, it would not look good. But they had to get out.  
"Okay, we'll move in when you have engaged them." John said, and watched silently as Teal'c and Brae'Tak climbed into the access corridor and disappeared, crawling towards the enemy position.  
  
X-Com and SG-1:  
  
They were sprinting, the X-Com troops holding back to say in formation with the SG-1 team. They hadn't run into any Covenant Patrols at the moment, and that seemed like a good thing. But good things now always meant bad things later.  
Kilmounge could feel that the control room was heavily guarded; he could sense it. Colonel O'Neill could sense the same thing. The veteran officer knew such things were universal in this dimension, such things always happened.  
And both of the officers were rewarded with a heavily guarded control room. They skidded to a stop outside the sealed access door and looked in. Mutons and Ethereals stood guard and worked the control equipment in the control chamber. There were enough of them to put up a pretty determined fight if they wanted.  
"Okay, her-" Colonel O'Neill said, just as the X-Com troopers opened the door, tossed in a few grenades and sealed it again.  
O'Neill looked at them and blinked.  
"What the hell was that?"  
"Alien gas. Handy little thing we developed in the Third Alien war. It kills specific alien species and it completely harmless to humans." Kilmounge explained.  
"Genetic engineering?" Major Carter asked.  
"Genetic tailoring is more accurate. But ask the techeads, I'm just a grunt." Kilmounge said with a shurug. He turned to the door and nodded, it slid open and the X-Com troopers moved in, weapons ready. A fine blue haze filled the room. The aliens lay about sprawled amongst the control equipment, many of them looked like they had simply fallen down. They didn't resemble beings that had suffered under the influence of Chemical weapons...it was odd.  
"Okay, does anyone know how to deactivate this stuff?" O'Neill said looking around at the completely alien equipment.  
"I can't even relate the language or character forms to a human dialect. It doesn't relate to Goa'uld or Asguard or the Ancients." Daniel said looking at the lettering on the control surfaces. He seemed to be frustrated at his inability to translate the Covenant language.  
"These controls are like nothing I've ever seen. It's not even close to anything that I've even speculated on." Carter said dismayed.  
"Then how exactly are we going to deactivate it?" O'Neill asked looking about the room, annoyed.  
"Ahem." Kilmounge said, he and his team were holding up the ultra- powerful Vortex mines.  
"Ah yes, really big boom." O'Neill said, he nodded to the X-Com troopers. They proceeded to set their charges about the control room.  
"Spartan – 117, what is your situation?" O'Neill asked through his comm.  
  
The Spartans:  
  
John ducked the strange organic weapon the Yuuhzan Vong warrior was wielding. It was some hybrid of a whip and a staff, but a living creature that could change its form to suit the user's combat style at the moment. The weapon slashed through the air where his helmet had been moments before, the warrior had been unprepared for the rapid movement and spun around too far, he presented his side to the Spartan.  
  
John rammed the muzzle his MA5B into a grove in the armor that allowed him movement in the rigid plate protection and jammed the trigger down. He had fifteen rounds left, but they were enough. The 5.56mm rounds punched up into the armor, through the weak point and proceeded to ricochet around inside the hardened armor. The mutilated alien warrior dropped.  
  
John spun and slammed another magazine into his rifle, and dodged the pointblank blaster fire of a Yevetha guard. He slammed his rifle into the face of the alien and dropped it to the deck, bleeding profusely from its mouth.  
  
"Spartan – 117, what is your situation?" John heard crackle through his helmet comm as he unleashed a hail of fire into the back of a Yevetha. He growled as he diverted his attention from the bloody melee he, the other Spartans, and the two Jaffa were engaged in.  
  
Teal'c and Brae'Tak had dropped into the midst of the security team and distracted them enough so that the Spartans could charge in and help. The first team had gone down quickly and very bloodily. But they'd managed to call in reinforcements.  
  
John sprayed another Yuuhzan Vong with fire, one of the rounds hitting it square in it's unarmored forehead.  
  
"We are heavily engaged sir." John said all too calmly.  
  
"We're blowing the control room now. Is the way clear?"  
  
"For the most part sir, they're more content with us than with other intruders." John snapped as he ducked the blaster rifle one of the Yevetha had swung like a club, and hammered his fist into the side of his assailants head.  
  
"We're on our way."  
  
"Affirmative sir, hurry it up." John said and threw another attacker through the air.  
  
They were doing very well considering they were heavily outnumbered. The Spartans and Jaffa were slaughtering their opponents in the bloody hand to hand combat, but the reinforcements might be too much for them to hold if someone had enough sense to hit them in force, rather than charge blindly into this fight.  
  
John sent a burst of fire into the chest plate of a charging Yuuhzan Vong, knocking the warrior off balance, then finished with a trio of shots into it's head.  
  
John grimaced as he reloaded and started firing into this bloody, vicious brawl that had developed.  
  
SG-1 and X-Com  
  
Colonel O'Neill frowned; they had to get out of here fast. This control room being vaporized was going to draw a tad bit more attention than a few intruders. He nodded to the others and they moved out of the room, sealing the door behind them. They broke into a full run and headed for the Spartans. The sounds of intruder alerts and weapons fire grew from soft background noises to a general din as they drew closer to the melee.  
The X-Com troopers were slaughtering any patrols that appeared in front of them by cutting loose on full auto. They didn't care about recovering anything since they were trying to get out of there alive. SG-1 was trying to put down more fire, but their weapons couldn't touch some of the armor they were encountering. They tried to keep the rear clear and were doing a reasonably good job of it.  
They turned the corner and saw the brutal fight the Spartans and the pair of Jaffa had put up to keep the cargo bay clear. Enemy corpses littered the ground in small mounds. Blood spattered the walls and ceiling, testifying to a frenzied and vicious engagement.  
None of the veterans paused when they saw it. They were too concerned with getting out of here, fast.  
"Go!" O'Neill snapped at the Spartans. They nodded and took off for the cargo ship. The side door was open and they practically dove in, terrifying the already shaken Tok'ra pilot. SG-1 made it through the hatch, and the X-Com troopers took up the rear, sealing the door just as the brilliant explosion from the control room reverberated through the hallways and hangar bay.  
A klaxon sounded somewhere and the harsh sounds of the Covenant language filled the transport.  
"Hull breach, hangar controls failing...abandon bay immediately." Cortana supplied. The massive hangar doors split open, the explosion that had immolated the control center must have set the doors to open. The bodies that the Spartans had killed darted through the hangar and into the dark lifeless void of space. A few ghostly tendrils of crystalline blood flew past.  
The Tok'ra pilot activated the ship and spun it around, pointed out of the bay. He punched the throttle to full and it shot out into the blackness, dodging bodies and debris. The small Goa'uld transport vessel darted from the Covenant battle station, completely surprising the fighters and defenses; they were unable to hit the cargo ship before it darted into hyperspace.  
  
Deep space near Archimedes gas nebula, Human Alliance Covert Ops Battle Cruiser 'Forestall', Briefing room Alpha – 2  
  
The Forestall was making full speed towards Earth and the UNSC, hopefully they could relate the information Brae'Tak had fast enough to make a difference. The news that Brae'Tak had was far from cheerful. It was downright terrifying.  
The Covenant fleet arrayed against the UNSC numbered approximately two thousand vessels, the core of which were five hundred Covenant ships, augmented by their new 'allies'. Their forces were numerically superior to anything that the Coalition could put together to defend the UNSC on such short notice.  
And that wasn't even counting ground forces. Brae'Tak estimated that almost five million Covenant soldiers had been arrayed, along with six million 'allied' troops. There were simply too many for the Coalition to stop.  
But even worse...  
Their estimated time for jumping off was in four days.  
The New Republic and Human Alliance fleets could make a difference. The limited naval assets that the SGC and both United States had were also on their way. Couple that with the combined Federation and Klingon fleets, and the remainder of the Asguard fleet, and the UNSC might have a chance.  
But they were slated to arrive in one week.  
Too late...  
How long could the UNSC hold back the Covenant?  
Were they to be destroyed now? When they finally had the chance to make a stand, and win it?  
  
And... Cliffie...  
  
Tune in again soon for the next chapter. Chapter 9: The battle for Earth 


	10. Chapter 9: The battle for Earth

Chapter 9: The Battle for Earth  
  
UNSC high command was in a state close to catatonic shock...no...wait...it was catatonic shock. Over two thousand Hegemony vessels, backed up by an eleven million strong invasion force? They were dead, and unfortunately they knew it. How could they possibly defeat a Covenant fleet and army that large?  
Coalition forces had been pouring into Earth's ground defenses like mad, Wookiee infantry, Colonial Marines, Saurian Shock Troops, everything available was being pushed to Earth to buy time. Troops and troop ships could trickle in faster than battle fleets apparently. High command had already written off the space battle. All they could hope to do was hold out for a few hours at max. The Covenant simply would have too many ships to take on right now. The motley collection of vessels arrayed against them would be swept aside like so many bugs.  
The forces that had been mustered to defend earth would have to hold out for three days before the vanguard of the Coalition fleets would arrive. But three days could mean the battle would long since been lost... But the UNSC couldn't do anything; all they could hope for was a miracle.  
Something that was going to stop the Covenant armada.  
Unfortunately they weren't going to get one.  
  
December 14th 2552, 1654 Hours, Asguard O'Neill class Battleship Fanfir, High Earth Orbit  
  
Supreme Commander Thor sat atop his command chair. His large black eyes surveying the forces arrayed at his command, and then shifted to the void of space before him. He was about to commence one of the most difficult and undoubtedly the largest engagement he had ever – or would ever – command. It was a nerve-wracking experience, despite the Asguard commander's tactical skill and prowess...  
To divert his haggard mind he took stock of the ships at his command and the power that he wielded against the Covenant juggernaut that was rapidly approaching. His vessels were by far the most formidable craft in the fleet; the Twenty 'O'Neill' class Battleships were the most technologically advanced vessels at his command.  
Making up a close second to this formidable line were the eighteen ships of the Human Alliance. They were perhaps as advanced technologically as the Asguard, their crews were hardened veterans of long campaigns in their home galaxy, and their ships were designed to be pure combat vessels, this probably made them the strongest ships in the fleet. A single Remington Class Frigate boasted a hellish volume of firepower.  
Perhaps they were stronger than the Asguard vessels themselves...  
The Federation and the Klingons fielded the third strongest set ships. The Klingon vessels were designed as warships with little in mind beyond combat and battle, their crews were the Elite of the Imperial Klingon Navy and were ready to seek glory in battle. The Federation vessels were not pure warships. Despite the Borg, the Cardasians and the Dominon, much of the Federation fleet was geared towards exploration and research. The most combat heavy vessels were the Akira and Defiant class vessels, but the Sovereign class vessels could take a tremendous beating and dish out the same.  
The weakest vessels he had were the UNSC and Colonial Marine warships. The UNSC vessels had no shielding, poor maneuverability and practically no armor. The Colonial Marine vessels were even weaker than that. They did not even carry the massive Rail Gun, or 'MAC gun' that the UNSC ships carried.  
Thor realized the extremely weak position that he had. He could not run, nor could he fight a stand up battle. But if he fought a stand up battle, the most likely outcome was the complete and total annihilation of the forces he commanded. But if he ran, the ground troops on the planet and over eight billion sentient beings would be murdered.  
He was at an impasse.  
With a few motions on his control board he opened a comm frequency to every vessel in the ragtag Coalition forces, then mustered up enough spirit to address the assembled vessels and their crews.  
  
"This is Supreme Commander Thor of the Asguard fleet, acting commander of the Coalition fleet forces at the UNSC Homeworld..." Thor began tentatively...he had never been an orator amongst his people. He was a military commander, not a speaker and those that fought with him did so for their people and the existence of other species, they needed no encouragement.  
  
But now...now they were facing insurmountable odds that were larger than he could have thought possible. It would have been too much for weaker races to bear and they needed some sort of encouragement, even if it was just a grim reminder of their own mortality.  
  
Thor drew another breath and began.  
  
"We are not of similar background, we are not of the same species or even of the same galaxy. We come from Earth, or Sol, or Qo'noS, or Halla, or a hundred other worlds and systems. We are not of like mind or like culture; we are not of similar upbringing or mindset. All our peoples have survived different catastrophes and trials each shaping us differently from the rest."  
  
"If it had not been for this war or the people on the world beneath us...we would never have even gleaned the wild idea that the other existed. Our races would have continued with our own affairs and thought nothing of others."  
  
"But something has happened. We all face a common foe now. We all are together, here and now, our peoples are united against the same threat. As we sit here, our forces arrayed against the same enemy, our weapons all held firm against the same opponent...we are closer now than we could have ever been had our peoples met under different conditions."  
  
"Now...now we shall enter into a battle against those which we have fought separately, those which we have struggled against for so long on our own...now we fight them together."  
  
"Our pasts are different, for each and every one of our peoples, but now our present and futures are united as one. Now we shall be stronger together than we could ever be on our own. Now we shall fight against those that are worse than any enemy we have ever met in combat before."  
"May we see death or life...victory, or defeat, we shall carry out an act which shall lead to the destruction of the Covenant and all their servants and slaves. After this day, we shall unite."  
  
Thor finished his speech to silence amongst the other Asguard on the bridge. Their focus lapsed from their stations, their eyes affixed to their Commander. Slowly, they nodded in grim agreement with Thor's words. It was true, they were different from those in a Klingon Fek'Lhr Heavy Cruiser, or those in the cockpits of Human Alliance SSF-20 Space Superiority Fighters.  
But after this battle, they truly would be united.  
Another message came across the com; it's origin from the Klingon Flagship.  
"You speak eloquently Thor, and you speak truthfully. After this battle, we shall be fellow warriors, and we shall share the honor of this battle!" The Klingon commanding Admiral said, his voice filled with bloodlust and pride, in the background battle cries could be heard.  
It was an ironic contrast to Thor's flat tone and long speech, and the solemn responses of his crewmen. But the fact that both extremes were working together was something tremendous.  
"Sensors report incoming vessels." The Sensor operator reported. The main screen shifted and showed the incoming tracts of hostile craft.  
Two thousand strong....  
The Covenant Armada was coming....  
"All ships, ready for combat." Thor ordered.  
"Today is a good day to die..." The Klingon admiral said.  
"But the day is not yet over." Thor finished.  
  
Throughout the fleet vessels prepared for full combat. Bulkheads and energy shields sealed off compartments and sectors in ships. Weapons emplacements charged their energy batteries, primed warheads and loaded shells. Fighter craft readied and launched into space. Marines and crewmen rushed to their stations.  
The Coalition fleet was ready for battle. It was arrayed in some semblance of a wall. The Asguard, Human Alliance, Federation and Klingon ships in the center of the line arrayed against the incoming Covenant vessels, the UNSC and Colonial Marine warships located near the poles of the planet. The best that the weaker vessels could manage would be to engage the troopships and any stragglers.  
The brunt of the combat would rest upon those that could fight and survive.  
But they weren't going to last long.  
The front vanguard of the Covenant forces was made up of a mixture of Goa'uld motherships, Yuuhzan Vong asteroid vessels, and Yevetha ships. Behind them were several Covenant vessels, they appeared to be coordinating the other ships. They emerged from transit in unison and in perfect formation before the defenders.  
This front vanguard began launching starfighters and moving forward to engage.  
  
1650 Hours Battle Comencement Asguard O'Neill class Battleship Fanfir, Command Center  
  
Thor watched the deployment with a steady eye. He had studied the enemy vessels diligently and knew their weaknesses and their strengths. The Goa'uld had been his nemesis for so long, he cared little for them. The Yuuhzan Vong and the Yevetha were just as bad as the Goa'uld and were apparently much more cunning. Not to mention the different combat and technological styles these races reflected. The Vong used black hole generators in lieu of shields, and the Yevetha preferred projectiles to energy weapons.  
But they were further away than they should have been. Normally they could have jumped in much closer than they had come in; right now they were ten minutes out of weapons range.  
Odd.  
They were launching fighters, and that wasn't as odd. No...that actually made sense.  
The Yuuhzan Vong and the Covenant had earned a heavy respect for New Republic Fighters, and perhaps they were worried that there were some stationed here. Thor fought back amusement, the New Republic fighters weren't here yet, but the Human Alliance was...and they were slightly better.  
"Order Human Alliance fighters to engage at will." Thor instructed the Human Alliance commanders. They were the only ones who had fighters, but they had a lot of them.  
  
1652 Hours, Human Alliance 'Viper' Class Heavy Carrier 'Olirend', Main Hangar Bay  
  
The Human Alliance had a monopoly on Starfighters in their Home Galaxy. During the first Antaran War, the utility of a small easily hidden vessel that was heavily armed became apparent when planets could mount effective resistance against enemy fleets with a few fighter squadrons. After that the Human Alliance made starfighters the backbone of their fleet assets and their primary offensive weapons.  
The standard Human Alliance fighter was the SSF-20 Space Superiority Fighter. It was a vessel that inspired cold dread in the pilots of the Antaran Hegemony and Ithkul Empire. It was shielded, heavily armored and highly maneuverable. It's arsenal was impressive. Wingtip mounted pulse phasor pods, and a pair of prow mounted gattling railguns. 6 Anomic Energy warheads and 20 'Flechette' Nuclear rockets rounded out it's arsenal. These ships were sharks of space.  
The SFB-30 was just as tough, and as a Fighter-Bomber, lethal to capital ships. It carried six 'Brillaint' Missiles with Antimatter warheads and forty 'Flechette' mini-Nuke rockets. This fighter could decimate capital ships.  
Pilot unit 9-892-F53-A0 climbed into his cockpit. The 'collars' of his humanoid form were adorned with the rank of Commander; he was the leader of his 50-man fighter squadron and overall commander of all fighters aboard the 'Olirend'. The edges of his canopy were adorned with the callsign 'Shining Armor' as his Squadron had been the savior of many a merchant vessel from commerce raiders during the last Antaran-Human Alliance War.  
He held a metallic arm out of his unsealed canopy and made a circle in the air. He heard his mishmash of pilots from all over Alliance Space cheer him in response. Whether it was the shouts from Humans, the roars from Saurians or the metallic screeches of his mechanoid brethren, he knew they were ready.  
"Okay Javelin squadron, let's give these Covie bastards hell." Shining Armor said to his pilots. A few more scattered cheers were heard across the comms then they died down, these pilots were loose, but they were good...really good. They knew to cut the chatter in combat.  
The pilots sat back and waited for the go signal.  
"Javelin squadron, Gladius squadron and Hibernia squadron, you have a go for launch. Give 'em hell boys." The flight controller said across the comm. A few more cheers ran across the comms as the pilots launched their fighters into the void.  
"Okay pilots, form up with wingmen and prepare for swarm attack. Use your pulse phasers and Railgun ammo; and save your Anomic Warheads and mini- Nukes for their capital ships." 'Shining Armor' ordered. A resounding reply of 'affirmatives' came back over his comm.  
"Locked, Cocked and ready to rock boss." One of his younger pilots replied.  
The fighters switched into full thrust and leapt towards the opposing single ships, along with the other hundreds of small fighters from the rest of the fleet. The Human Alliance put fighters on nearly every capital ship large enough to cram a 50-fighter squadron on it. That gave the Alliance fleet a distinct advantage.  
The sleek, swept wing spacecraft looked like predators in space, their mattle black paint making them nearly impossible to see without weapons flashes to illuminate their hulls. And those would come soon enough.  
"This is Gold Flight, moving off to sector eight for right flanking run on their ships..." 'Lumbering Giant' reported. He was splitting his SBF- 30 squadron off into the well-practiced flanking movement against Capital ships. The SFF-20's would attack and eliminate or distract the fighter cover the enemy had, allowing the bombers an unobstructed attack path.  
Hostiles always fell for it.  
"Affirmative 'Lumbering Giant' good luck and good hunting." 'Shining Armor replied over the comm.  
Shining Armor's processing units analyzed both the direct linkup with his ships sensors and his own spectrum equipment. The Fighter's AI reported that they would be entering weapons range in 23 seconds. He compared the combat abilities of the enemy forces and their positioning, speculating to their plan of attack.  
The Goa'uld 'Death Gliders' as the primitive vessels were called, were oriented on his left flank. They were slightly ahead of the main formation. The Vong 'Coral Skippers' were making up the center of the forces along with the Covenant 'Sephera' fighters. They were set back in the center of the formation. On the right flank were Yevethan 'D-Type' fighters. These were what concerned Shining Armor the most. If he could believe the reports those fighters were more maneuverable than his SSF- 20's, but not nearly as heavily armed. Apparently they were hoping to envelop the Human Alliance fighter wings.  
  
And that wasn't going to happen.  
  
"Gladius Squadron, move and engage the 'Death Gliders', Hibernia Squadron, engage the 'D-Types'. Javelin, you're right down the middle with me." Shining armor ordered, the slight course corrections were made and the two opposing fighter swarms slammed into each other.  
  
Any hope for small, tactical advantages was lost as the hostile masses of fighter craft slammed into one another and began what was the simplest form of struggle in any galaxy, survival.  
  
The horde of starfighters twisted in elegant dances of death. Streams of projectiles and directed energy blasts tore through the void. Explosions filled the vast expanse of space as ships were simply vaporized in the copious amounts of firepower being tossed about.  
  
Shining Armor cracked apart a Vong fighter with a shower of Pulse Phasor blasts, overwhelming it's defensive systems. He spun his fighter on its axis, stopping short of a barrage of Death glider fire and ripped apart a Yevethan D-Type. There was little anyone could do to make sense of this melee. He made a hard bank left, a manuver that would have ripped apart an organic pilot, and dodged the fire of a quartet of Vong craft. Shining Armor jinked and weaved, avoiding more of the enemy fire, then steered this lethal caravan through a throng of Death Gliders. He deftly avoided collisions, but his pursers weren't as lucky.  
  
The robot spun his fighter and dove back into the fray, vaporizing three D- Types in short order with Pulse Phasor fire. A burst of plasma cannon fire from a Sephera fighter flared against his shields. Shining Armor nose- dived and avoided the rest of the barrage. The elite followed the dive and stayed right on the robot pilot's tail, sending lances of plasma fire behind him.  
  
Shining armor pulled up...hard. The SSF-20 fighter went straight up, the G forces from the sudden change of direction nearly overwhelming his intertial damper systems. Shining Armor could feel the strain on both his body and his ship as the loop continued.  
  
The Covenant pilot wasn't so lucky, while his ship could do a manuver like that, the Elite behind the controls couldn't. After the first turn, the shock of the loop snapped his neck like a twig. The Sephera fighter, now out of control, slammed into a Death Glider and the pair exploded.  
  
"This is Lumbering Giant, we are beginning the attack run on the enemy starships now." Shining Armor heard over his comm frequency. He responded with a wordless battle cry as his fire incinerated another hostile.  
  
1700 Hours, Human Alliance SBF-30 Fighter Bomber, Gold Squadron  
  
"This is Lumbering Giant, we are beginning the attack run on the enemy starships now." Grillmar said over his comm frequency before orienting his Fighter Bomber at the massive shapes before him.  
The massive Saurian was crammed into the cockpit of his craft. The SBF-30 Fighter Bomber was a lumbering giant, half again as large as an SSF- 20 it boasted a devastating armament. Instead of Pulse Phasors and Railguns, it had a triple barreled gattling Disruptor Cannon on each wingtip, they were much more powerful than interceptor weapons. The normally slow recycle time of the weapons jumped up significantly from it's rotating mounts. In addition to the powerful energy weapons it had forty nuclear rockets and six 'Brilliant' antimatter missiles. These spacecraft could decimate a capital ship.  
"Entering optimal attack range." Grillmar's second seat said. The Human was very good at her job, and had managed to spoof every enemy sensor system with the SBF-30's Electronic Countermeasures. Nothing knew they were coming.  
"Affirmative." Lumbering Giant grumbled as he surveyed the HUD in front of him. The threat indicator marked his target as 'Goa'uld Mothership', and it was emblazoned in red marking it as a threat.  
The Saurian flipped his fire selection system to a 'Brilliant' missile and locked it on the target. The human weapons officer behind him began plotting targets on the massive vessel with her own neural link...specifying primary, secondary and tertiary targets for each of the MIRV warheads in the missile as fast as she could think them.  
"GO, GO, GO!" The weapons officer ordered from her seat. Grillmar hit the firing stud and launched the missile, jinking left to avoid the flurry of incoming fire. But the shots missed as the ECM took over and spoofed the enemy weapons systems.  
The 'Brilliant' missile streaked onwards through the void, completely ignored by the barrage of Goa'uld fire. Its exhaust trail specially designed to be invisible in space. The 'Brilliant' missile was a stealth weapon, made to remain invisible until the end, right up to the point when the Antimatter explosion vaporized you.  
The AI brains inside the missile activated and worked on the neural commands they had received from the WO, and worked accordingly. They used their own sensor data and telemetry input to work out how to best cause the most damage within the assigned target parameters. Their database knew that a Goa'uld mothership had shielding systems and they were formidable.  
Nearly instantly the AI decided to sacrifice one of it's five MIRV warheads to detonate and disrupt the shielding systems for the other four to slip through. The nosecone of the missile broke open and a single MIRV launched forward. It streaked ahead while the AI slowed the missile's approach speed enough so that the explosion would not harm the other warheads.  
The single warhead streaked forward. Although it was only the size of a shoe, it boasted the destructive potential of a thermonuclear warhead. But the warhead was a 'Brilliant' warhead, and the AI system that it boasted used the sensor data to only detonate enough of an Antimatter reaction to take down the shields.  
It did, and the bright flash and explosive shockwave battered down the Goa'uld mothership's shields so the other four deadly payloads could arrive. And they did, as soon as the missile entered the perimiter formed by the shields, the final four warheads jettisoned and hit their own targets.  
The first headed straight at the main engine drive section, the AI re- modulating the explosive shockwave to cause a deadly feedback wave in the main engines, effectively causing the engines, then the main reactor to overload.  
The second locked it self onto what the sensors earmarked as the 'Primary Weapons system coordination cluster' it was the main router for most of the major weapons on the Goa'uld ship. The Antimatter charge vaporized it and four decks.  
The third warhead locked onto the main thruster package for the ship and destroyed it in a blinding flash, crippling any hope for the ship to maneuver effectively.  
The fourth and final warhead targeted the bridge. It went headlong into the bridge viewport and forced it's way through the energy shield that concealed it. Then vaporized the command center, the top of the pyramid, and four other decks in one blast.  
  
"That was good, but more boom next time." Grillmar said examining the remains of the destroyed mothership.  
"Yes, sir." His weapons officer replied.  
"Next."  
  
1714 Hours Asguard O'Neill class Battleship Fanfir, Command Center  
  
Thor watched the Human Alliance fighters make mincemeat out of the opposing enemy starfighters. They were good ships, no doubt about that. The Human Alliance knew how to build vessels for war, and they built them well. But even the best starfighters and pilots couldn't hold out forever, they were getting swarmed by the superior numbers of Covenant fighters. The starfighters were drowning in a sea of hostile craft.  
"Supreme Commander. The Human Alliance fighter wings are reporting twenty five percent casualties and nearly fifty percent of their Fighter Craft have expended their projectile munitions." One of the Communications officers said. The Asguard Commander watched as a series of nuclear shockwaves destroyed a Yevetha Star Destroyer. Thor made as close an expression of a frown an Asguard could produce.  
"Do they still posses adequate energy reserves?"  
"Yes, Supreme Commander."  
".... Order them to rotate their forces for re-supply." Thor said.  
"Yes, Supreme commander."  
"Supreme commander! Sensors show incoming vessels on our starboard quarter!" The sensors technician said in a very frantic tone, frantic for an Asguard that was.  
"On screen." Thor ordered. The main holo viewer switched its image from the dancing starfighters to the forms of Covenant ships entering this plane of existence. It was almost a hundred Covenant warships appearing in perfect formation, it was beautiful in a sick and horrifying way. As one the hostile ships re-oriented and erected their energy shields. Points of brilliance blossomed on the hulls of the Covenant warships as their plasma weapons charged.  
They were within weapons range.  
"All ships fire at will." Thor ordered.  
  
1715 Hours Human Alliance Iroquois Class Battleship 'Annihilator', Armored Command Bridge  
  
Commodore Jimmy Trent was more than happy to oblige Supreme Commander Thor's order to open fire. He smiled with a perverse relish at the chance to destroy those that were now his enemy. He loved the idea of destroying those that had so easily butchered Sentient beings.  
"Bring the Ultra Heavy Rail Cannons to bear. Each will target an individual enemy vessel. Fire on my command. All other weapons fire at will." Trent ordered. Even as he finished sheets of fire erupted from all over the 'Annihilator'. Plasma cannon, Phasor Pods, and Photo Gattling turrets opened fire illuminating the void between the opposing fleets. Smaller Rail cannons were arrayed around the perimeter of the hull and opened fire as well.  
Rail cannon turrets let loose a torrent of rail gun rounds on the rate of hundreds of shells a minute. Synthetic Diamond Armor Piercing rounds, Antimatter High explosive and Plasma Incendiary shells all mixed together by AI systems to cause the optimal amount of destruction.  
They had enough ammunition and energy to shred the enemy.  
But the mighty hammer of the Iroquois class was it's massive Ultra Heavy Rail cannons. Boasting four of the immense weapons on individual gun turrets it had more firepower than any other ship class in the human alliance fleet. Each one was capable of accelerating a multi-ton Ultra Dense Synthetic Diamond Armor penetrating Antimatter explosive shell and half the speed of light. These guns were the big brothers to the UNSC Super MAC guns in orbit.  
Each gun turret boasted it's own Fusion power plant to charge the epic rail cannon's capacitors.  
Even with the wealth of power provided it was nearly three minutes between shots.  
"All guns report ready sir." The weapons droid replied from its station.  
Commodore Trent looked out into space. His eyes surveyed the core of the Covenant ships. Each would provide an ample demonstration for the power of the Human Alliance.  
He pointed in air and the sensors on the bridge brought up targeting sensors. Trent relished the power to directly command such powerful weapons. He placed the targeting reticules over his select victims and nodded.  
"Fire." Trent said.  
All four cannon fired in unison. Their immense recoil making the Battleship actually rock in space. The contrails of the multi-ton projectiles - each larger than a shuttle – shone bright blue as they hurtled through space.  
There was probably something funny about the Covenant attempts to move their ships fast enough to avoid the incoming enemy fire. But it was futile; organic reactions are only so good, and the ability to move that fast enough takes time to build energy. But the Covenant pilots didn't have enough time.  
The gargantuan shells impacted and simply shattered the enemy shields with their tremendous velocities. Something that big, going that fast could not be stopped no matter how good your shields and armor was. The same went for the armor plating of the victim's vessels.  
The alloy that the Covenant used, so effective at holding back the explosives in Archer missiles and the raw force of MAC guns...it was like wet tissue paper before a cinderblock thrown against it.  
The four shells hit at the same time and their antimatter warheads detonated.  
Four suns were born in the darkness of space, their brilliance and beauty something unseen by the combats. But their existence was short lived, as rapidly as they were created they dissipated, returning the darkness of space to the combatants. The rapidly expanding cloud of gasses and what little debris was the only tombstone those slaughtered Covenant warriors would ever have.  
"Reload." Trent ordered and watched the hostile forces continue to advance.  
  
1723 Hours Federation Defiant class Light Cruiser 'Gemini', The Bridge,  
  
"Full power to the engines. Take us to heading 142 mark 23." Captain Taggerd ordered. A trickle of sweat ran down the seasoned commander's back. He knew that this was hopeless. They couldn't take down that many enemy ships, even if they did have a significant edge with that Human Alliance firepower.  
The numbers game of combat was not the type he liked. He preferred the tactics game.  
"Aye sir." The helmsman responded plotting a course that was directly into the heart of the Covenant formation. No, Taggerd was not going to play kamikaze, but he was going to get in close enough to negate any of those Plasma weapons that the Covenant used. The Defiant class was maneuverable and it was lethal if he could get it in close.  
Taggerd watched the main view screen for a moment, then diverted his attention to his smaller tactical display that showed the vessels in the formations. Another Defiant Light Cruiser, a pair of Fek'Lhr heavy cruisers an Asguard O'Neill battleship were moving into an attack formation behind him.  
Captain Taggerd squinted and examined the Covenant vessels. They were charging weapons, and if they didn't get in fast enough they were going to be vaporized by that soon to be born volley of plasma fire.  
"Maximum Impulse. Squeeze whatever you can from the reactor." Taggerd ordered. The helmsman nodded and began entering in commands.  
The Captain was grimacing as the speed of the 'Gemini' increased noticeably. Come on...faster...  
The flares of Covenant plasma weapons reached a brilliant climax on their hulls. The dazzling red energy coalesced and condensed into the deadly, guided orbs of Covenant Plasma weapons. Taggerd had never seen them before...it was terrifying.  
To see those ships all spewing forth such a deadly barrage was frightening on a level that Captain Taggerd had never experienced. They were going to die if he froze up.  
"Push it now." Taggerd snarled watching the sphere of red coherent plasma streaming straight towards the main viewport. The 'Gemini' squeezed out whatever reluctant reserves of thrust it could and darted around the massive globe of plasma. The ship rocked uneasily and the temperature on the bridge flared briefly, sweat beading Taggerd's forehead.  
"Dorsal shields down to fifteen percent." Tactical said.  
"Other damage?" Taggerd asked.  
"None sir."  
"Other ships status?" Taggerd asked of those that had been following.  
"The Klingon vessels 'Shel'l Mock' and 'Hig'dahr' are still behind us. The 'Orion' was grazed and it's shields are down, they can still fly though....but...oh god..." The Operations officer said but trailed off.  
"What?" Taggerd asked.  
"The Asguard ship 'Valhalla' is gone. It was vaporized sir..." The Operations officer said slomenly. He shook his head lightly. Taggerd was shocked. The Asguard had such advanced technology, their shielding was nearly perfect...nothing could have taken it down in one shot.  
"What happened to it?" Taggerd asked.  
"No less than...twenty Covenant Plasma rounds impacted the vessel. It didn't stand a chance." Operations replied.  
Taggerd frowned. Nothing could have survived that hellstorm.  
"Full power to shields and engines. Prime the Pulse Phasors and arm the Quantum Torpedoes. Let's send some Covenant to hell for the crew of the 'Valhalla'." Taggerd said returning his gaze to the Covenant ships.  
"Sir." Tactical replied, the officer's hands dancing over the controls with practiced speed and accuracy. Taggerd picked out his first victim. Hopefully the first of many...  
Hopefully first of a great many enemy ships to die today.  
  
1950 Hours – Battle +3 Hours, Asguard O'Neill class Battleship 'Fanfir', Command Center  
  
Thor had abandoned observing through the main view screens and changed to a three dimensional hologram of the battle. His eyes were not good enough to pick out the individual engagements in this brawl. Now he needed the computer systems and holographics to properly command his forces.  
He'd abandoned command of the 'Fanfir' and left it to it's Captain, technically he was in charge, but he had too much to concern himself with at this point.  
Much too much.  
Nine of the O'Neill class Battleships he commanded were in flames. That was the single largest defeat in battle the Asguard had ever suffered. He'd pulled the 'Fanfir' out of the line, but he couldn't afford to be overly protective of the other eleven ships he commanded. Those vessels were dueling with the newest wave of Covenant vessels that had arrived.  
Covenant tactics were simple, but brutally effective. The main element that had come in first was their center in space. More of the Covenant's allied vessels had come in to reinforce their positions and throw more starfighters into the fray. The first assault force had been the right wing of the Covenant assault. Another hour brought a like force against the left flank of the Coalition forces. The Covenant were fighting to envelop the defenders, using their inability to move to their advantage.  
"All weapons engage the Death glider wing at quadrant twenty-three E, port quarter." One of the coordinators on the bridge ordered over the constant sounds of communication and frantic commands.  
The Human Alliance fighters were severely reduced in number now. The sheer numbers of Covenant fighters had overwhelmed their opponents. There were still Fighters and Fighter Bombers flying around, but they were concentrating their efforts at defending the Human Alliance Iroquois class Battleship. It was by far the most powerful ship in the fleet, and if it went down the defense would surely fail.  
The four guns of the Battleship fired again, sweeping four more clusters of Covenant vessels from space. They were brutally efficient destroyers. The rest of the Human Alliance fleet remained huddled around their massive brother, their anti-starfighter weapons blazing away at the fighters attempting to destroy the Battleship. With increasing regularity the rail cannons that the smaller ships boasted would open fire and perforate a Covenant ship moving in for the attack.  
Another volley of Covenant Plasma fire rolled through space, being answered by a barrage of Nuclear Rockets from the Human Alliance. The weapons detonated and their shockwaves dissipated the plasma. But the Covenant had a near limitless supply of plasma...and the Human Alliance only had a finite supply of Rockets. Soon, the Plasma was going to start hitting.  
"Supreme Commander Thor." A human voice asked. Thor turned to the main viewscreen and saw a human in a jumpsuit on the screen. Beneath the image read 'Captain Edwards: United Nations Star Command', he was one of the UNSC commanders that made up the remnants of the UNSC fleet.  
"Yes Captain?"  
"We're tracking incoming Covenant ships headed towards the poles. I think they're moving in to start landing ground troops." Edwards said flatly.  
"Do what you can Captain, much of the fleet is engaged." Thor replied.  
"Yes Supreme Commander. The UNSC will do what we can on our own." Edwards replied.  
Thor nodded. The UNSC had taken a massive battering fighting off four other thrusts towards the planet. The last Covenant assault had drowned in starship coolant and choked on MAC rounds. But this defense was coming at a high cost, of the 89 UNSC vessels that remained they were down to 31. This was a vicious fight. The UNSC was not going to go down without a fight and they were fighting tooth and nail to kill every Covenant ship they could.  
More than one UNSC vessel had self destructed and taken out Covenant vessels in it's death throws when near destruction.  
Thor looked at the smoldering ruins of UNSC, Federation, Klingon and Human Alliance... and even Asguard vessels adrift in space. Thor had been right, they were equal and united in battle, and in death.  
  
2000 Hours, UNSC Cruiser 'Robert E Lee', Command Deck  
  
Captain Edwards coughed at the light smoke permeating the air. The explosion of crewman Henderson's navigation console had been spectacular after a Coral Skipper strafing run. Sending the poor crewman to the medbay with a foot long shard of plastic sticking out of his throat. He wasn't going to make it.  
Well, neither were the rest of the crew, so he wasn't going to be alone for long.  
"Sir, Covenant vessels incoming." The AI responded from it's holo tank. Red blips began to flood the screen once more, and there were so few blue blips to oppose them.  
"Charge the MAC guns and arm all remaining Archer missile pods." Edwards ordered.  
"Sir, all chain gun ammunition is depleted. We have no anti-fighter capacity. All Longsword interceptors have been destroyed as well." The AI informed him.  
"Well...I don't think it will be an issue for much longer." Edwards said.  
"All weapons ready." The AI finished its tone grim.  
"Incoming." Operations said softly. Outside in space, they could see them incoming. Those smooth and flowing shapes of Covenant warships emerging from Slipspace. Their formation perfect and unchanged as they emerged. There was something wrong about how well they could maneuver...of course he'd been briefed on how well the Covenant could maneuver...but it was just wrong.  
"All ships fire at will. Take as many of them down as you can...send them to hell." Edwards said and nodded at the AI.  
A pair of dull ringing thuds reverberated through the Cruiser. Two glowing MAC rounds launched through space and towards the Covenant attackers. Along with these two others flew through the void. The last ragged volley some of these ships would ever fire.  
The motley barrage slammed into the Covenant attackers and sent many of them to their fiery destruction. Some last act of vengeance for those that were about to die. Somehow, after so long it wasn't a shock they were going to die. It was the Covenant...they always won.  
"Not today...they're going to die today." Edwards said grimly.  
"Covenant weapons charging." The AI said. The hulls of over a hundred Covenant warships began to alight with plasma strings, the red lines glowing in the darkness.  
They were going to die...all of them.  
"Full power ahead. Fire all Archer missiles...and set the reactor to self destruct on my command." Edwards said.  
  
2019 Hours Asguard O'Neill Class Battleship 'Fanfir' Command Center  
  
Thor watched with a string as the UNSC ships went down in a blaze of glory, their sacrifices earning them admiration from any warrior this day. They had died willingly; they had died fighting the enemy that was pushing their people towards extinction. They did not want to do so, but they so readily gave their lives.  
"Heroes." Thor murmured as he watched the expanding shockwave from the detonation of the 'Robert E Lee's fusion reactor.  
"Supreme commander....I have more incoming..."  
"Where, and what?" Thor snapped. More reinforcements weren't worth his notice now. There were already too many Covenant for his remaining forces to handle. Plus the Covenant were already landing ground troops on Earth. The space battle was all but lost, the ground campaign might go better...but without space superiority it was already over.  
"They're coming in from the opposite direction of the main Covenant armada. They appear to be Yevethan ships. At least the design pattern matches most of the Yevetha designs we have..." The sensor operator answered.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, they look like Yevetha ships, but their Identification signals paint them as something else."  
"What?"  
"They're broadcasting as being 'Imperial' ships..."  
  
2017 Hours Imperial Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', Main Bridge  
  
Grand Admiral Kurrs Anjek stood before the transperisteel viewports and watched the bright lines of hyperspace travel. His cold, shallow eyes glared out from behind a pair of specticals. Their dark pits not eluding to any emotion on his part. His spotless white uniform of Grand Admiral was worn on his thin, bony seven-foot tall frame.  
He clasped his black leather gloved hands rested at the small of his back, a grell wood cane held in one, the end of the cane tapping the small of his back ever so lightly.  
"Time?" Grand Admiral Anjek asked.  
"One minute Grand Admiral." A gray uniformed officer said.  
"Good. Order all crewmen to battle stations and have all fighter wings ready for combat." Anjek ordered.  
"Yes, Grand Admiral."  
Anjek turned on his heel from the main bridge viewport and strode down the elevated walk that looked down on the bridge crewmen on either side of him. He walked determinedly, his footfalls clanging on the durasteel deckplates loudly in the otherwise silent bridge.  
His steps took him to his command chair situated at the end of the walk. He sat down and felt ever so much like a feudal lord surveying his subjects. Anjek always found such a position distasteful. He never liked being a commander, he much preferred being a leader.  
And right now he was leading his fleet into harms way. This battle was supposed to be larger than Endor, larger than Bilbringi, larger than Ithor. This was going to be the largest battle he had ever commanded. And that was why he was taking the hundred and fifty vessels of the rebuilt Imperial Fleet into battle.  
Grand Admiral Kurrs Anjek held the position of being one of the most powerful commanders in the remains of the New Order. Ever since the war with the New Republic had ended, he had strove towards re-building Imperial naval assets decimated from the decades of conflict. At first there had been much discord amongst the remaining Moffs, but the Yuuhzan Vong invasion had proven Anjek right.  
He'd been promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral...the first Grand Admiral since Thrawn, and had been given supreme command of the Imperial Navy. He still answered to Supreme Commander Palleaon of course, but he was loyal to the New Order – or what remained of it.  
Now he had been tasked with one of the greatest commands he would ever have to carry out.  
Defeat the Covenant, and exact vengeance against the Vong for Ithor...and all the atrocities they had committed.  
"Emerging from hyperspace in four...three.... two...one..." One of the technicians said aloud. As he finished one, the starfield before him reverted into glistening diamonds on black felt. Far beneath him, two opposing fleets dueled in space. Explosions and weapons fire stitched back and forth between them.  
"Redress the lines and prepare for engagement." Anjek ordered.  
"Sir."  
"Open a comm to the Covenant fleet." Anjek ordered. A small beep informed him that the line was open, and the translation software was working.  
"This message is to every warrior in the Covenant Fleet. I am Grand Admiral Kurrs Anjek, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy. I have come to this field today to exact vengeance for all the crimes you and your servants have committed. The list of murder and destruction is to large to read aloud, but you know the crimes you have committed." Anjek said evenly, his voice dripping with rage and fury that made him such a vicious opponent.  
"I give you a warning according to the rules of war. No prisoners shall be taken by Imperial forces, no surrendering ships shall be given quarter, and no wounded shall be given treatment; any prisoners we take shall be executed, any ships surrendering shall be destroyed. I inform you that your only way to survive is to run from this battle." Anjek said.  
"And you may only retreat with the permission of the Imperial Navy." Anjek finished and had the com line cut.  
"Open a line to the commanding ship of this engagement." Anjek said. A holo appeared in front of him of an unfamiliar alien. Anjek's eyebrow arched slightly, but he thought nothing of it. He was not of the 'old breed' of Imperials. Humans and aliens could fight and die just the same; blaster bolts don't make distinctions.  
"I am Supreme Commander Thor, acting commander of the Coalition forces at Earth." The alien said.  
"I am Grand Admiral Kurrs Anjek, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy. Supreme Commander Thor, I am here at the orders of my superiors and the request of the New Republic." Anjek said.  
"I trust they shall arrive soon?" Thor asked.  
"Unfortunately that is why we are here. The New Republic fleet is far more spread out than my forces. They will arrive in a day's time. The New Republic requested that we come and assist until they and the Coalition forces arrive tomorrow." Anjek said.  
"And will you assist?"  
"The honor of the Imperial Fleet demands nothing less Supreme Commander Thor." Anjek replied.  
"Thank you Grand Admiral. The people of this world shall be forever in your debt." Thor said.  
Anjek nodded and cut the comm.  
"All fighters launch. All gun crews fire at will. Kill them...kill all of them." Anjek said looking out of the bridge. His eyes glaring out at his foes...his opponents that were already dead.  
They just didn't know it yet.  
  
2053 Hours, Covenant Assault Carrier 'Nightmare', Command Deck  
  
Fleet Commander Lit'Kindame was not pleased. In the grand scheme of things, they were going to win. These primates couldn't hope to force back the raw numbers of the Covenant Armada arrayed against them. Even the new subjects vessels were killing the enemy. It was only a matter of time before the last vestiges of the enemy were wiped from the stars.  
But it was coming at a terrible cost. These new Human allies were much more powerful than the primates they were originally fighting. Their weapons were strong and their shields were difficult to overcome, and they were cunning...  
Losses were estimated at almost three hundred Covenant vessels were lost and over nine hundred allied ships had been destroyed. These humans had managed to put up quite a furious defense in the face of superior numbers.  
The most unsettling part was that the increasingly high numbers of casualties were being caused by the newest arrivals. In the past half cycle almost a hundred ships had been destroyed by the 'Imperials', their commander was very good.  
"Fleet Commander, the enemy ships just jumped again!" One of the command Elites said.  
These 'Imperials' knew how to fight. The Fleet Commander watched as ten of the large, triangle shaped ships seemed to jump hundreds of units in an eye blink and reappear far beyond the plasma orbs that were about to destroy them. Their green energy cannons opened fire and destroyed another five ships before they could even react.  
Kindame swore vividly as he watched the destruction being wrought upon his fleet.  
At this rate...he was going to lose this battle...  
  
2056 Hours, SSF-20 Fighter, Shining Armor  
  
Shining Armor was fighting for his life. He had been inside this cockpit for the past four hours. He'd run out of Rail cannon ammunition, missiles and rockets long ago. He'd also caught plenty of plasma fire and he needed to get repaired soon. But there wasn't time and he had to stay in this fight. Now he was using pulse phasers and trying to take down a flight of Al'kreesh bombers auguring in on the Federation Sovereign class Battleship 'Dumbeldore'. His pulse phasers weren't able to get through the Goa'uld shields.  
""Dumbeldore' I can't get them...brace for incoming fire!" Shining Armor shouted over the comms line.  
"Need a hand?" A voice shot back. Shining Armor wasn't in the mood for jokes at this point, but he was shocked as ten lethal looking fighters swept past his wounded slow moving fighter and decended upon the slow moving enemy bombers. Their sharply angled fins and sleek lines made them look much more predatory than his wounded fighter.  
The new arrivals finished off the enemy bombers and fell with the SSF- 20.  
"Human alliance pilot 'Shining Armor', we're Tie Interceptor flight 'Dagger' you can fall back for repairs if you want. Human Alliance is trying to pull assets back for refuel, re-armament and repairs. We're here to cover you." A human voice came across the comm.  
"No can do Dagger flight, my place is in battle."  
"Then we're with you Shining armor."  
"Let's kill some Covies then."  
  
2100 Hours, Klingon Battleship 'IKV Hqar'Clk' Bridge  
  
"We're loosing control systems. Main power is failing. Life support is in danger of failing. Weapons systems inoperable." The ops officer shouted over the sounds of warning alarms. The haze in the bridge was getting too thick to see through, and almost thick enough to cause some problems to breath, even for a Klingon.  
"Do I still have guns?" Captain Quog demanded.  
"Barely Captain."  
"Then keep firing!" Quog ordered. He glared through the smoke and fires towards the main screen, it was still working...barely.  
"Ramming speed towards that Covenant ship! We'll ram them and board them." Quog ordered.  
"Yes Captain."  
The nearly crippled 'Hqar'Clk' lumbered towards the Covenant warship. It was barely moving, but the Covenant ship was close enough to ram. It couldn't move out of the way fast enough.  
The gap was closed rapidly and the massive wounded beast that was the Klingon Battleship slammed into the Covenant ship.  
"We have contact!" The ops officer shouted.  
"Divert all power to tractor beams. I don't want these cowards going anywhere. Then, extend the boarding tubes and order all hands to participate in the boarding action." Quog said.  
"Yes Captain."  
"We shall slaughter these cowards and bring honor to our house this day!" Quog shouted with pleasure. He turned and headed off the bridge, the remaining crewmen that were alive filed along with him. The 'Hqar'Clk' had taken a tremendous amount of damage as it tangled with a Yuuhzan Vong asteroid ship and a pair of Goa'uld Motherships. It had barely been flying without the miracle work done by the ships engineers.  
Now the ship was probably serving it's final duty. It's name would be honored.  
The marching Klingons carried their curved Bat'leths and disruptors. This was going to be a bloody boarding action.  
"We have not yet begun to fight brothers. Death to our foes." Quog ordered as they reached the boarding tube. It ran out of the ship and into the hull of the Covenant ship. At the bottom a neat hole had been punched through and a few Elite heads could be seen.  
With a blood curdling war cry the Klingons charged forward through the boarding tube, their howls of battle more than enough to instill fear in the hearts of the bravest foe. And this charge thundered in the confined boarding tube.  
The warriors ran on, oblivious to the fact that they were running to their own deaths. They simply ran on into the muzzles of the Covenant plasma rifles. Blue and green plasma fire traded off with disruptor fire as the two opposing forces.  
With a single bloody slam the warriors decended into vicious hand-to- hand combat. Bat'leth and Plasma swords clashed in the melee as the most primitive and ancient of all forms of combat was played out between the two warrior races.  
  
2359 Hours Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn' Command Bridge  
  
Grand Admiral Anjek stood and surveyed the utter devastation that hung in space before him. Hundreds of ships spun through space in slow arcs. The complete and total slaughter that had transpired this day was something unseen since the Clone Wars.  
A million beings had perished in this space battle alone.  
It had been wholesale slaughter. The Covenant fleet had been devastated. Their ships were swept from the sky in the confrontation.  
And now it was over...at a tremendous Coalition cost.  
Only the Sovereign class Battleships 'Ashkhan' and 'Dumbledore' remained in service from the Federation detachment. The Klingon ships had been destroyed entirely. The crew of the 'IKV Hqar'Clk' had captured a Covenant Cruiser but that was the extent of the Klingon forces.  
The Human Alliance fleet had been decimated. Only the Viper Class Heavy Carrier 'Olerind' and the Iroquois Class Battleship 'Annihilator' remained from their flotilla, and a mere handful of fighters had survived the long engagement.  
The Asguard....  
Nineteen of their ships had been destroyed. Only the Battleship 'Fanfir' remained. Every other Asguard vessel was vaporized, the Covenant had been very systematic with their destruction of the Asguard and Human Alliance vessels.  
The UNSC fleet was gone. Not a single ship remained. They had been completely wiped off this plane of existence. But they hadn't died hopelessly, the 83 UNSC ships and 40 USCM ships had taken 293 Covenant vessels to hell with them. They'd smashed three separate pushes towards the planet and severely reduced the Covenant ground forces.  
But there were troops on the planet.  
Grand Admiral Anjek had ordered four stormtrooper Legions and five army groups down to the planet in support of the Coalition troops that were already on planet. The Covenant troops weren't going to last long down there.  
Anjek watched the tumbling ships in space and frowned. This was why he loathed war. So many dead.  
"It must be so horrific that we do not become fond of it." Anjek said aloud as he watched the silent monuments to the dead hurtle through the void.  
"Grand Admiral. The Covenant prisoners are here." The Stormtrooper Colonel that stood behind him said.  
"Bring the vermin in." Anjek snarled. The Colonel nodded and the blast doors at the rear of the bridge opened with a hiss. As Anjek turned he spotted the Covenant warriors being drug into the chamber.  
Ten Klingons were half carrying, half dragging the three struggling prisoners down the walkway. Two squads of stormtroopers walked along behind them, agitated at the fact ten, barbaric looking warriors armed to the teeth were walking into the presence of an Imperial Grand Admiral.  
The Klingon warriors looked haggard, tired and beaten. One had a slow flow of pinkish blood trailing from his chest. All of them carried wicked looking curved blades that were thickly coated with purple and blue Covenant blood.  
The three Elites were drug, and then tossed at Anjeks feet. All three wore pieces of the Golden armor of a high commander. A protocol droid walked forward and stood next to Anjek as the Grand Admiral scowled down at the broken and bleeding foes before him.  
One of the elites snarled something incomprehensible.  
"He states that we shall all be destroyed as the will of the Gods." The droid supplied. Anjek stood there, his scowl pronounced and his eyes glaring death. He brought his cane back and slammed it into the side of the Elite's head. A soft crack sounded as the hard grell wood connected with the Elite's mandibles. The shackled warrior fell to the side and was roughly picked back up by one of the Klingons.  
"I think not." Anjek said shortly then let the droid translate. The Elite growled and responded quickly.  
"He states that we are already dead and that this temporary set back shall not halt the prophets."  
"I did not bring him here for interrogation. I am returning you to your ship, it's weapons and shields have been disabled. Your crew has been executed and you are the minimum needed to pilot the craft. You are to carry a message to your commanders." Anjek said with a snarl.  
The Elite grunted back a reply.  
"He inquires as to what this message is."  
"You're all going to die. By the honor and name of the Imperial Navy you shall pay for all your crimes. Not just the crimes you have committed, but also those of your servants and slaves. You shall be forced to provide the blood that you have taken from so many peoples in your long string of atrocities."  
"There will be no trials, there will be no investigations. The rules of war do not apply to you. We will bomb your planets with weapons, with gases and biological weapons, we will drop nuclear warheads upon your cities. We will reduce your planets to molten rock. There will be no surrender. There will be only death." Anjek said with soft deadliness.  
  
And...chapter. Yes, I did use the Empire as a 'good guy' but the Yuuhzan Vong situation kinda made the Empire and the New Republic closer...and yes I probably made the Imperial fleet a whole lot stronger than normal...but it's fiction.  
  
Well, that was the titanic space battle, but not the last... Next chapter gets to see some ground combat. Coming up a little sooner;  
  
Chapter 10: How to wage war, Coalition style. 


	11. Chapter 10: How to wage war, Coalition s...

I'm sorry to say it but this is going to represent war. And war is not sunshine daises; it's grotesque and horrific. This chapter is going to show the personal and graphic nature of conflict, not what you get on Fox News or CNN at eleven, more like 'We Were Soldiers' or 'Black Hawk Down' for Sci-Fi. You have been warned.  
  
Chapter 10: How to wage war, Coalition Style  
  
Outside Route 68, Near Albirght West Virginia, 2346 Hours, December 15th  
  
He laid there in deep snow. The branches and cover that were wrapped around his position augmented the thick cover of his Ghillie suit. The mixture of white and gray strips of cloth blending in perfectly with the drifts and shadows in the near perfect darkness.  
Clutched in his gloved hands was a pair of Macro-binoculars. Their powerful magnification and thermal vision modes easily picking out the encroaching enemy vehicles as they rode down the highway, the brilliant thermal plumes of engine exhaust lighting the multi spectrum viewers with ease.  
The silent observer raised one hand ever so slightly and signaled the other ten that sat in a deep weapons pit. A few slight nods were exchanged.  
The observer remained at his position observing the approaching attackers. The smooth deadly lines of the attackers tanks and APC's resembled some sort of strange fish with sleek lines and weapons.  
He silent figure dredged up the briefing information that he had been given this morning. These were Tau Forces, Hammerhead Gunships and Devilfish troop transports.  
The visions in the Macro-Binoculars cycled quickly as the observer shifted his views from the lead elements of troop transports and down the long convoy, past the oddly predatory looking marching forces designated as being the 'Kroot' and to the large flying humanoid craft. 'Crisis Battlesuits' they'd been designated.  
The hidden observer re-directed his attention towards the front of the column as it moved. A pair of Hammerhead Gunships moved down the wide highway abreast of each other. A group of figures moved in front of them as an infantry screen.  
The Tau knew their business, they even had aerial scouts running ahead of the convoy, and unfortunately they'd missed the troops hidden in the hills amongst thick snow and woodlands of West Virginia. This column was going to get hit hard from all sides.  
The Rodian observer was sheathed in his thermal reflective bodysuit, keeping his heat in and the cold out, deadening any Tau thermal sensors. The ghillie suit he and the other pathfinders wore hid them from visual scans. The Tau wouldn't know what hit them.  
This team was a crack group of New Republic Special Forces Pathfinders and Wilderness combat troops. They knew how to survive in this environment, and fight this kind of war. They were supposed to trip up the enemy advances before they could move against the main defensive lines being set up to defend the city New York.  
The Rodian gestured and the soldiers readied their weapons. He consulted his chrono. They were coordinating this attack perfectly with other units arrayed along this route.  
With the drop of his hand the Special Forces squad opened fire.  
A pair of medium repeaters tore loose in long sheets of crimson fire, easily giving away their position, but they wouldn't be around long enough for that to matter. The energy bolts stitched across the lines of marching infantry and cut them down easily. The unit sniper let loose a pair of shots and killed the two commanders of the lead Hammerhead Gunships. The Tau slumped back into their turrets with a smear of blood, they hadn't known what hit them.  
Nor would their crews; off to the left of the Rodian two Finbat Anti- Walker Concussion missile launchers began to send out their deadly rounds. These weapons were designed to take down an AT-AT with ease, they would have no trouble dealing with the Tau vehicles. Two of the rounds struck home and sent the crews to hell in an explosion of flame.  
The Rodian signaled and the squad halted their fire in an instant then withdrew from their position quickly, disappearing into the deep woods and darkness like the ghosts they were. A pair of Apex Incisor missiles rocketed into the air as the final calling card of the New Republic soldiers, swatting a pair of Tau Battlesuits from the sky in flames.  
From down the long snaking convoy the Rodian and his comrades could hear the sounds of weapons fire and explosions as dozens of different Special Forces teams tore into the convoy and vanished without a trace.  
A crack from the left of the running troopers dropped the Rodian in his tracks. The rest of the team dropped, that was hostile fire. The squad was on their bellies, scrambling for cover in the near darkness and beginning snowstorm.  
The Rodian knew that if they didn't deal with this immediately they were going to get pinned and killed. More gunfire rang out and small projectiles flew through the air. The Rodian gazed out over a snow covered fallen tree, his large black eyes scanning the darkness.  
Movement.  
The Rodian brought his Firelance blaster rifle to bear and triggered off a burst of fire at the moving target. It let out a warble of pain and leveled its weapon at the Rodian's hiding palace. Several shots rang out and the soldier ducked behind cover, splinters pelting the top of his blast helmet.  
More blaster fire rang out in the darkness, red pulses of fire illuminating the position with eerie shadow. More warbling screams rang out, and from beyond after the fire died down thrashing bodies could be heard. The Rodian stuck his head back over the fallen tree and looked out once more. He saw a shadowy figure charging towards him, it's weapon raised to strike with some kind of blade affixed to the ends.  
The Rodian snapped his weapon up and fired on full auto, the volume of energy caught the Kroot in the chest and lifted him up into the air, finally flinging him five feet backwards.  
The Rodian spared another glance for attackers, and then gestured for them to move.  
The squad continued their retreat, disappearing without another problem.  
  
NORAD Coalition Defensive Command center for Earth 0025 Hours, Decmeber 16Th  
  
The Human looked at the displays before him. His shaved head glistened in the harsh overhead lighting that seemed standard in almost every military in the known universe. His haggard face boasting an expression of displeasure, his features marred by deep scars and blaster wounds from his long service in the Rebel Alliance and later the New Republic. A black goatee peppered with gray shielded the edges of his frown from view.  
His six foot frame was hunched over, the armored jumpsuit he wore speckled with the white-black-gray-brown of urban camouflage, it rested snug to his frame. His blast helmet rested on the map table before him. At his hip rested an intricately decorated and designed Vibro-Katana and an Imperial Munitions Heavy Blaster pistol...remants from his days back before he deserted the Empire for the Rebellion.  
Of course, now he had Stormtroopers under his command once more...  
Sector General Vallin Himelstoos Complin, Supreme Commander of all Coalition forces on Earth, late of the New Republic.  
His gaze dropped down to the mixture of hardcopy maps, digital display screens and holograms that represented the massive mixture of military forces he commanded; Everything from UNSC marines and infantry to Human Alliance shock troops; Full scale armies and divisions, down to miniscule Special Forces strike teams.  
His cold blue eyes gazed at the map and considered his position. He turned to the immense wall screen displays that dominated the far wall of the large amphitheater like room filled with descending levels of consoles and tables packed with a wild assortment of communications gear and technicians from a slew of different races, cultures, and galaxies.  
He looked at the massive map on the center screen, displaying the continents of the world with extreme accuracy. He looked at the screens on either side of the center one and regarded the space forces in orbit, and in the system. They were all green now, all friendly...even the imperial ships...  
Complin never thought he would see the day...  
His eyes drifted back to the center monitor and looked at the map before him. He did not like what he saw.  
The Covenant vessels had made three significant landings on planet. These were the only ones of matter since the other much smaller landings had been annihilated before they had consolidated their positions.  
The largest was in the Central area of North America. The largest body of Covenant forces boasting an estimated three million soldiers had been landed in Southern Ohio. This force seemed to be directed at taking New York, the home of the United Nations and the 'Capital' of the UNSC. The Covenant had done their homework and knew how to fight a war. Their forces intended to take out the UNSC leadership on the planet.  
But they hadn't chosen their avenues of attack well. The Appilacian mountan range wasn't exactly imposing...but armor had a difficult time pushing through it. Defenses were being put into place and getting ready to put up a stiff resistance before the advancing Covenant troops.  
The second major assault was in Colorado, the Covenant forces were trying to take down the NORAD command complex. Even though there was only a scant million troops it was the smallest thrust. It wasn't much, but it was enough. If they could take down NORAD, the UNSC defenses would crumble.  
The third assault was in South America. It was somewhere along the borders of Brazil and Peru. It was a large force headed into the Andes Mountains. But it didn't appear to be a major military effort...it seemed as though they were searching for something, and Complin wasn't going to commit forces to halt one million Covenant Soldiers intent on traipsing through an immense rainforest looking for sith knows what.  
He was more intent on stopping the Covenant troops that wanted to take out his Command HQ and the UNSC Capital.  
"Commander." One of the Human Alliance Generals said to him.  
"Yes general?" Complin said turning away from the massive map to the large Saurian warrior that stood on a level below him.  
Even though the alien was standing a foot below him, the creature was two feet taller than him. Complin looked up at the fellow officer.  
"Yes, our forces have finished setting up defensive positions in a line between Denver and Colorado Springs. Recon is reporting the majority of the Covenant forces pushing towards the NORAD complex from their landing areas at Limon." The Saurian General reported.  
"Thank you General, what troops do you have in position?" Complin asked regarding the smaller holographic representations of the map. He saw infantry and armor images, along with some that were unfamiliar to him.  
"We've placed ten regular infantry Divisions along the lines, 30,000 troopers. Along with five Sentient Machine assault units and two Saurian Shock divisions in place for the counter attack." The general explained.  
"Counter attack?"  
"Yes General."  
"Very good." Complin said with a nod and looked at the symbols on the maps before him he regarded them with apprehension. He knew little of what these forces were capable. Unlike Supreme Commander Thor, he couldn't rely on raw technical data and statistics, flesh and blood weren't set, sentient beings didn't react like machines... well the Sentient Machine AI assault troops did, but their commanders didn't. There was always the unknown in ground combat.  
"The first Covenant units will be reaching the line within the hour."  
"What are they made up of?"  
"We believe it to be mostly 'Race' forces and a large amount of Tau troops. The Covenant seems to be allowing these forces to lead the assaults against this complex and against the Capital. Most of the regular Covenant forces are aiming towards the Andes Mountains for some reason."  
"There's nothing of value there so let them be for the moment." Complin said.  
"Yes sir."  
"well, the Special Forces units are blunting the Covenant thrusts towards New York, so now we have to concern ourselves with the pitched battles that will occur for this mountain." Complin said looking at the slow moving blips on the massive screen before him. The Red and the Green were pushing ever closer to each other. Amazing how the lives of beings could be turned into such impersonal holograms on the screens of their commanders...  
  
Coalition Defensive lines, Outskirts of Colorado Springs, 0109 Hours December 16th  
  
Captain Kelly Alligni marched along the defensive lines in the thickly falling snow, the massive form of her combat battlesuit enlarging her small body to one that rivaled the pure size of a Saurian. The armor's optical camoflage was turned on, warping the dull black armor into a rough representation of the environment around her. Snowflakes hissed as they were vaporized on the projected energy shield the armor had. Occasionaly she looked out at the featureless plains before the trench lines and aimed her Antimatter rifle around.  
The bulky weapon used the same principles as a railgun to hurl a small bullet containing antimatter against its target. The weapons were relatively new to the lines, but they'd seen heavy action during the Belicose IV revolts. The defects ironed out through the heavy use. The main problem had been that the weapons were too powerful. The bullets had been nearly fully filled with Antimatter, causing an explosion large enough to destroy a city. Some over enthusiastic weapons designer had wanted to make them lethal.  
Now the loads had been turned down to a few atoms of Antimatter, enough to be worth a pound of high explosive. The weapon had received the nickname the AMR. Perfect for combat. Under the barrel of the weapon was a rocket propelled grenade launcher. On Alligni's back rested the veneral Fusion rifle, the mainstay of the Human Alliance Army for over three hundred years of protracted conflict. Nothing could replace the reliable, resilient and lethal weapon in the hearts of so many Human Alliance soldiers.  
Captain Alligni walked up and down the lines that her company held. Past the entrenched tripod Laser cannons and tripod screamers – weapons that used coherent sound instead of bullets or energy – and by the magazine fed Savant missile launchers. Their position was impenetrable no matter what the enemy threw at them. She knew her soldiers were ready for anything that the enemy could produce in their arsenals.  
These men and women were veterans. They'd served in the invasions of Tranis II and IV, some of the bloodiest offensives in the last war. Along with their service in the slaughter that was the defense of Willing Prime. Kept in fighting trim with anti partisan and revolt suppression on Belicose IV and Garnor II.  
They were some of the best after the Saurian Shock troops.  
Captain Alligni tossed her head like a Kuttle fly brushing away a pest. The thick armor around her head retracted like dry sand rolling off a flat surface, the living metal and nanomchines removed the impervious Adumantium layer quickly. The Captain gazed out at the world before her with mostly bare eyes. A holo projector set around the neck of her armor projected a heads up display before her.  
She shifted her eyes and the displays disappeared, giving her an unobstructed image of the battlefield before her. Her eyes easily picked out the approaching enemy forces as they rode towards her troops.  
She could make out the angular shapes of Lizard tanks and APC's along with the figures of infantry. Alligni nodded and tossed her head again, the featureless Adumantium armor rolled back up around her head, once more encasing her in the near total protection it provided.  
"All troops wait for my command." Alligni provided. There was no chance that they would start firing before she gave the order to do so. The hypo injectors mounted within the armor were providing a near constant flow of Shaker and Tempo into their bodies, the drugs coursing through their veins heightening the infantry's reactions and combat abilities. Give the commands and they'd butcher the elderly. They'd walk through minefields and charge down plasma fire.  
They stood in their entrenchments, silent and deadly as the enemy pressed forward across the snowy plains.  
Across the clear, flat pain, it was rather easy for sound to travel. Even from a half a mile away the sounds of hiss's that represented the majority of the Lizard language echoed through the darkness. The APCs ground to a stop and troops filed out of them and in front of the Tanks. The advance started again; leap froging forward under the cover of the Tanks and APC's.  
Until they reached the primary defensive line...  
The line of Lizards running forward abreast of each other across the field suddenly fell to pieces. Not their line...they did. Their limbs sprouted deep cuts and gashes then were dismembered by some unknown force. Even body armor and weapons were chopped apart. The lucky ones died quickly. The rest writhed in pain as they slowly bled out from their amputated limbs.  
The trailing elements stopped in their tracks and looked around, panicked. They didn't know what had happened and they were unnerved. One of the squads advanced towards the line of fallen scouts. It's clawed hand reaching forwards towards a strand of blood that hung suspended in air. It ran a claw along the blood and recoiled it wildy as it's finger was cut and then loped off.  
Concentra Monowire. It was a line of molecules strung together in a long wire. Extremely strong and easily deployed, Concentra Monowire was the standard perimiter defensive measure, it was cheap...but with an edge that could cut through duralloy plate armor. The Lizards had simply run through the nearly invisible defensive line and were chopped apart without any resistance.  
The Lizards began to fall back, but they were only two thousand yards away from the Human Alliance line, well within the range of their weapons.  
The tripod gattling lasers opened fire with a steady stream of red fire. The lines of crimson energy made steady sweeping arcs of fire, lighting up the darkness and cutting into the retreating Lizard troops. They fell in mists of blood as the laser fire connected. Then the Tripod screamers opened fire. Their beams of coherent sound invisible in the battlefield, but their effects clear as daylight. As they swept across the field snow was boiled away as though under intense head. Earth seemed to dance and kick up, then vaporize into a fine powder. Flesh ran from bones like water, and skeletons shattered under the waves of sonic energy.  
Lizards dropped in droves, their plasma weapons returning fire in some light semblance of order. The APC machine cannon and tank cannon returned fire with more effect. Explosions and plasma stitched across the Human Alliance lines.  
The advantages of the Human Alliance troops meant that their infantry units could withstand a tremendous beating. Energy shielding, reactive metal and nanomachines meant that they could shurug off massive amounts of damage without having to worry about even superficial damage.  
But they weren't invincible. They could only take so much fire. A charge of Plasma from the re-tooled main gun of a Lizard Landcruiser was enough to rip away the protective shielding and armor of a ground trooper. And their redesigned assault weapons firing plasma rounds could wear down the protection that the troops boasted rather quickly.  
Nor were these troopers rookies they could fight, and they could work together. They kept up a steady advance, even in the face of tremendous losses. But they didn't waver, they didn't break...they just kept attacking. That was something that the Human Alliance troops could respect. But when the massive forms of Brutes lumbered into view, along with the Elites, Grunts and Jackals...the Human Alliance knew what was going on.  
The Covenant was shielding their better troops with the Lizards and the Yevetha. The Brutes let loose a thick barrage of fuel rod fire, along with the fire from the Lizard forces they managed to get into the trench system and engage the Human Alliance troops one on one.  
The battle was getting desperate. The Human Alliance troops had better technology, and they were veterans, but the Covenant forces were getting in close enough to negate those advantages with numbers. The tide of the battle was slowly beginning to favor the Covenant...  
It was only a matter of time before the Human Alliance survivors had to retreat.  
  
NORAD Coalition Defensive Command center for Earth 0239 Hours, Decmeber 16Th  
  
Sector General Complin was not pleased. The much-vaunted Human Alliance ground troops were being pushed back from their defensive lines. Complin was a hard officer; he did not expect his forces to fail. Especially considering the prime defensive positions that had been erected and the superior technology that they had available.  
"You assured me that your forces could repel anything thrown against them." Complin snarled at the imposing form of the Saurian General. The massive warrior actually recoiled at the venom in the smaller human's voice.  
"This was unforeseen Sector General." The Saurian managed.  
"You are very correct General." Complin said.  
"The Covenant troops overwhelmed our forces. There were simply too many...the Covenant commanders seemed more than willing to toss away Lizards, and Yevetha to smash our defenses."  
"Yes General...that has become painfully clear. Your troops routed." Complin said with deadly calm.  
"Fighting retreat Sector General." The Saurian corrected.  
"Do you dare correct me General?" Complin growled. The Saurian cringed.  
"No, sir."  
"Good, then you are dismissed. Rally your troops and shift them north. I want them to rally at Boulder and prepare for a counterattack." Complin said.  
"Yes, sir...but that will leave this base unprotected." The Saurian said.  
Complin ignored him.  
"Order the Fifth 'Stumguwher' Stormtrooper Legion into positions along this axis of advance." Complin ordered. He was swallowing his pride when he ordered Stormtroopers into his lines. But he didn't have much choice in the matter. It would take time to reorganize his forces in a successful defense of Cheyenne Mountain, and if NORAD fell than precious time would be lost as command was transferred.  
But a part of Complin harkened back to his days with the Empire, before he'd defected. Back when he'd commanded Stormtroopers regularly. He knew what they were capable of, he knew perfectly well that they were some of the best troops he could expect on the western front, even if the Human Alliance troops managed to rally and put up some feeble defense.  
Complin didn't give a frell that the Imperials weren't expected allies either. They'd been on the other side of his blaster for far to long. Maybe this god awful Civil War and the lingering animosities could finally be put to rest after this battle.  
"Yes sir, uh...the commander of the Legion wishes to speak with you." The Colonel said. He looked at the comm headset as though any kind of contact would poison him. Clearly he wanted to pass this bomb off to someone of higher rank, and Complin was in overall command. The tough Cardian took the headset and put it on.  
"This is Sector General Vallin Complin, Supreme commander of the Coalition ground troops at Earth. Whom am I speaking to?" Complin asked in his normal voice of command.  
"It's the traitor himself." The voice on the other end said in mocking tones.  
"Whom am I speaking to?" Complin asked again sounding much more angry than he had.  
"Calm down traitor. This is General Verner von Kliest, I'm in charge of this Legion." The voice responded.  
"Stop calling me traitor and state your business." Complin snarled.  
"Where do you want us to deploy Commander? I'm not keen on making my boys and girls clean up your mistakes Rebel. I've got a reinforced Stormtrooper Legion here, and they're all veterans. We'll throw off anything that gets thrown against us." Kliest said with a jab masked as the 'rebel' comment.  
"Along a line just behind the city of Colorado Springs. The Covenant troops are making a push right over the Human Alliance forces there. They're aiming right for Cheyenne Mountain." Complin said.  
"Affirmative Commander. We'll stop them cold and save your ass." Kliest responded confidently.  
"Correct commander. Hold them and make sure they don't push any further forward then they are now. If you can't, then I won't be around to have you shot." Complin said with a growl.  
"Alright rebel. We'll haul your nerf out of the fire. Never thought any of my boys and girls would be getting rebel medals though." Kliest said.  
"Good luck General." Complin said sincerely.  
"You too Sector General." Kliest responded, sounding just as sincere as Complin had.  
  
Outskirts of Cumberland Maryland, 19TH Colonial Marine Heavy Armored Division, 0634 Hours, December 16TH  
  
General Harrison Igorivich sat head and shoulders out of the top of his M40 Ridgeway Heavy tank. His eyes gazed out over the rolling terrain of this area of Maryland. The covering of snow on the ground and the tanks helped the deadly monsters hide from the Tau and Covenant air patrols. They were getting a whole lot thicker in the past hours. That massive ambush that the New Republic Special forces had wrought upon the main Tau advance column had made them wise up.  
A lot more patrols and air cover was making any more ambushes lay on the far side of suicidal. Nobody was dumb enough to make a move against them now...  
Except for his troops.  
That's what he'd been ordered to do, attack the Covenant ground probe aimed at Washington and destroy the forward elements. It would be mechanized warfare and it would be bloody. As it always was.  
Igorivich lifted his frame outside the tank and looked further out, then around at the forces under his command. They had been hastily painted white for the snowy weather, and were swathed in Camo netting. They couldn't afford to be detected now, they were letting the Covenant forces move into their area of operations before hitting them.  
He looked down at the hardcopy map and went over the plan once more.  
Massive enveloping armored assault that would decimate the lead units of the Tau, and Special Forces attacks along with airstrikes and artillery to delay the arrival of the Covenant secondary and third echelon units. It was all they could do. The Colonial Marines were outnumbered like they always were.  
Igorivich looked down at his watch and then out at the direction of advance...in...five, four, three, two....  
Bammmm....  
A filght of UD-4 Dropships flew low overhead, accompanied by a flight of New Republic V-Wing airspeeders. The aircraft flited by overhead so fast that they barely registered in Igorivich's mind before they were gone. That was their air support, the first wave of the attack.  
He looked at his watch, 0635, mission start.  
He nodded and slid back into his tank. The sounds of engines revving up and readying themselves for combat was sweet music to the General's ears. He sealed his top hatch and regarded his display screens.  
All his units were readying and moving forward. They were arrayed in a rough semi-circle. All were on this side of the river that ran through Cumberland. If needed, the defenders could withdrawal under air cover and artillery across the bridges and blow them, then put up a hellish bit of street fighting to delay the Covenant forces.  
The massive armored units trundled forward down roads and through farmer's fields. The locals weren't raising hell about their crops or property being torn up by tanks...no, they'd run very far when they knew the Covenant were coming.  
"This is unit 34-2A, we have engaged the enemy. Hull down on their flank... Damn, these Tau bastards don't know what's hitting them!" The comm crackled.  
Igorivich regarded his display screen and noted time until they'd engaged their own parts of the Tau and Covenant advance. It was going to be in scant moments.  
"Slow...I want hull down positions on this ridge." Igorivich ordered his own smaller element he personally commanded. With a few affirmatives the tanks trundled up to the top of the ridge, their turrets the only part of their machines visible.  
Igorivich regarded the Tau spearhead. Their strangely shaped tanks floated across the landscape effortlessly. The looked very lethal as well, the large cannon that each boasted looked to be more than the 115mm gun on the Ridgeway.  
"Fire at will." The General said.  
A ripple of fire erupted from the hidden tanks. 115mm shells arched through the air and found their marks very easily. The heavy, depleted uranium sabot rounds impacted the Tau tanks and ricocheted off the alien armor.  
"Shit! HEMSH Rounds now!" Igorivich ordered hastily. The sabot rounds relied on kinetic force and being denser than the material they were hitting to penetrate. But whatever those Tau tanks were made of was denser than Depleted Uranium.  
The HEMSH rounds were based on a completely different principle. High Explosive Mash Head rounds...they were basically a lump of plastic explosives on a shell. The round would hit, but delay for a moment, allowing the high explosives to spread out, then they would detonate, sending a lethal shockwave through the armor.  
Another ripple of fire sounded out from the Colonial Marine armor. These shells hit and detonated in brilliant explosions and fireballs. A few of the hovering tanks sputtered and jerked in their maneuvers, then ran aground.  
A light cheer sounded across the comm lines.  
But was soon killed by the response of the Tau tanks. Their large guns targeted in on the Colonial Marines then fired. Their weapons weren't like the Human cannon. No, they were rail guns, capable of accelerating a shell to immense velocities. The air burned in the wake of these shells.  
Five tanks were destroyed in a heartbeat by the fullisade. Their turrets simply ripped open by the raw force applied to them with such deadly accuracy.  
"REVERSE!" Igorivich hollered and the driver wasted no time in oblidging. He slammed the gear of the tank into reverse and it kicked hard, attempting to place as much distance from the Tau Hammerhead Gunships as possible. They were marines, and they were brave, but they weren't stupid enough to try and stand up to that. The other surviving tanks reversed as fast as they could, rolling back over the slit trenches that the ground pounding marines had dug during the night.  
General Igorivich knew full well that he couldn't take on the Tau armor one on one. They were far beyond the Colonial Marines in technology. But they weren't invincible, that was clear enough. If you played out every advantage you could, you could beat them.  
And Igorivich knew how to play out every advantage he could.  
The retreating Ridgeway tanks were joined by M22A3 Jackson Medium tanks and M34A2 Longstreet light tanks in the defensive line, behind the entrenched infantry.  
"Load up the special rounds." Igorivich ordered. The human Alliance had been kind enough to provide his forces with limited stocks of a new type of ammunition, a synthetic Diamond-ultra dense AP round. They said that it could punch through the front armor of a Hammerhead tank.  
They were about to find out.  
As the first Tau tank nosed over the top of the ridge it exposed it's belly to the waiting muzzles of the Colonial Marine tanks. They fired at the vulnerable targets with glee.  
More than one Tau tank crew was sent to the beyond in that volley. The Marines added to the mayhem with their own small arms fire and anti- tank weapons. They were giving the Tau hell to come over this ridge.  
  
One Mile West of Cumberland Maryland, Scout Trooper detachment 93-P 'Cerberus Group', 0645 Hours, December 16th  
  
Stormtrooper Colonel 9352-24-A sat atop his Aerotech speederbike and watched the Tau battle lines rolling forwards along the highway before him. The forces weren't pure Tau troops at this point. Unlike the spearhead units that the Colonial Marines were engaging, this was made up of Tau and their Covenant masters.  
The Scout Trooper Colonel looked out without any kind of emotion. He had emotion once, back when he had a name...now he just served the Empire, and he did so with gusto. He stood up on his speeder bike, his white armor keeping him and the other troops he commanded concealed from the prying Covenant eyes.  
The Camoflage cloak he wore flapped in the wind...it was one of the stranger things that the Colonel had done. He served the Empire without regard for his personal safety, but he wore the silly cloak to inspire his men. It was strange, but the Colonel fancied himself one of the ancient cavalry commanders from the times before the Republic. Back in the days when masses of men rode beasts into combat, that's what the Colonel had mirrored his unit on...  
They carried Force pikes, vibro swords and light carbines in their arsenals. He'd trained them to move fast and light...and hit hard, very hard. He raised his hand after consulting his chrono. And let it drop to signal the advance.  
Their job was to hit the Covenant forces and stall their advance in this part of the line. They were supposed to do what they could to delay the enemy so the Colonial Marines could chew up the spearhead of the force.  
He didn't intend to follow those orders.  
He intended to kill every enemy soldier he could find, as per Grand Admiral Anjek's orders.  
As one every Aerotech speeder bikes' engine revved and charged into life. The mass of Scout troopers swept downs the gradual slope from the tree line like ancient barbarians descending upon a hapless caravan.  
Blaster cannons and carbines sent down a lethal barrage of withering fire into the unsuspecting Covenant forces. The dropped as the deadly energy slammed into the ranks of marching troops.  
In a small frenzy of activity several of the Covenant Wraith tanks turned and started lobbing plasma against the encroaching stormtroopers as they rode forward. The blue orbs arched high in the air, but were far to slow to effectively target the Imperial Scout Troopers.  
  
A handful of the Covenant speeder bike equivalents broke off and headed up the slope towards the Scout Troopers, their plasma cannons blazing away into the Imperials. The two opposing forces closed the distance between each other with terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye the distance evaporated and they slammed into each other.  
  
It was sheer chaos. Ghosts rammed into speeder bikes and exploded in orange flame. The Imperial troops used their force pikes like lances, they had practiced long and hard with these weapons, and although short could be lethal in their gloved hands. The weapons found their marks as they passed, the vibroblade tips of the weapons impaling the skulls of the Elite pilots and wrenching free in one smooth motion as they passed.  
  
The Covenant clearly came out on the bad end of that small engagement, but the Imperials hadn't been unscathed. For all their flaws, the Ghosts could boast protection for their pilots. The speeder bikes couldn't. Any plasma that found its mark would destroy the delicate machines along with their pilots.  
  
The Imperial forces swept down upon the convoy unhindered. They flew through the volleys of plasma fire, more Scout Troopers falling in the attack, but the remaining riders killing the infantry as their lines broke.  
  
The bikes and their riders flew through the convoy. In addition to their normal load out, the biker pilots boasted shaped charges. These were tossed liberally upon the vehicles they passed, detonating and damaging the war machines with ridiculous ease. The bikers swooped out of the Covenant convoy and then circled back around, laying into the defenders with another run of high-speed death.  
  
The Colonel surveyed the handy work of his men with pride. They knew how to slaughter the enemy, and their tactics were good...if a little bloody for both sides.  
  
But he had succeeded in his mission; the Covenant advance would be tied up for some time with this mess.  
  
"To the trees." The Colonel ordered, and his unit disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared.  
  
Leaving dead Covenant soldiers and burning vehicles in their wake.  
  
NORAD Coalition Defensive Command center for Earth 1125 Hours, Decmeber 18Th  
  
Complin was at least receiving good news. The Imperial Stormtrooper Legion that had replaced the ineffective Human Alliance ground forces had held and smashed a pair of Lizard thrusts towards the mountain. Along with that the Tau/Covenant offensive pushing towards Washington and then New York was gone. Their Spearhead units had been destroyed by the Colonial Marines, and the majority of their organization was gone after air strikes and raids by the Imperial and New Republic troops.  
But fighting had been heavy, very heavy. The Colonial Marines had lost an entire Division, it had been rendered Combat Ineffective by the tremendous volume of combat it had faced in a few short hours, but thankfully the Covenant advance wasn't in danger of picking up any time soon.  
The Human Alliance had suffered tremendous losses. Whatever the reason was, the Lizards and Yevetha forces arrayed against them had simply rolled over them. The lizards were using better tactics and larger numbers to deal with the superior technology they'd faced. They'd outnumbered the Human Alliance forces and buried them in bodies, but they'd moved forward. Only the heroic efforts of the Fifth Stormtrooper Legion had halted the advance.  
So far the Covenant forces had stalled. Complin was quite pleased.  
He was ready to go on the offensive. He was moving the freshest troops he had against the Covenant forces. Imperial Stormtroopers, and Imperial Army troopers. Complin felt like he was at the academy again.  
He turned back to the map on the far side of the command center. It displayed the three Covenant elements...but Complin still harbored a nagging doubt about what they were doing down in Brazil.  
They'd reached the Andes, and had stopped...as though they had found something there of value for them. He couldn't ignore it. He had to investigate...the Covenant hadn't made a habit of invading a planet unless they had reason to want it intact.  
"Colonel." Complin said addressing his aide.  
"Yes sir?"  
"I want a special forces unit to recon that Covenant force group down in Brazil."  
"Who should go sir?"  
"The Spartans and the X-Com people plus any Jedi that Skywalker saw fit to allow us to use. They'll be the most likely to survive that recon." Complin said.  
"Which ones sir?"  
Complin remained silent.  
  
And...Chappie. Stay tuned for the next chapter in the story...  
  
And before people start flaming me; the Master Chief and the Spartans, the X-Com troopers and the Jedi will show up in the final chapter...and they will find out exactly what the Forerunners are doing in the Universe and why the are doing.  
  
Oh yes...and I know I took some liberties with the Scout Troopers and their Cavalry man attitude there...but I wanted to make the Stormtroopers less than the white cannon fodder of the movies and more like they're supposed to be.  
  
The next chapter is.... Chapter 11: Counter attack...Reach... 


	12. Chapter 11: CounterattackReach

Okay folks, with this Post I declare the Far Flung Hope series officially moved to the Misc: Crossovers category of FF.net. I will no longer update this story, hopefully this will placate FF.net administation. I know I shouldn't have this story up in two places, but if I just moved it I'd piss a lot of you long time readers off since I didn't give warning.  
  
This is the last update on the HALO board, I'm on the MISC boards now. On with the show...  
  
Chapter 11: Counterattack.... Reach....  
  
Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', High Orbit over Earth in Coalition Grand Fleet, 2004 Hours, December 24th, Christmas Eve  
  
Grand Admiral Anjek stood in the main briefing room of the Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', his hollow eyes starring out at the blackness of the void beyond the view port, gazing at the fleets beyond. He looked at the sleek forms of Asguard O'Neill class Battleships; The large and deadly shapes of Human Alliance vessels; the minute forms of the SGC's tiny X-303 carriers compared to the sheer bulk of New Republic Bulwark Battlecruisers.  
It was quite a sight. The glowing hulls and brightly lit superstructures of the many vessels of the Coalition fleet illuminating the tumbling hulks of Coalition and Covenant vessels...these were the orbiting mausoleums of far too many heroes.  
"Wars have always had far to many heroes have they not?" Anjek said and turned to the officers that sat at the long table behind him. His eyes looked about at the most unlikely assemblages of commanders and officers he had ever seen, or ever thought would be inside an Imperial Super Star Destroyer.  
He saw the uniforms of militaries he had never known before. He saw aliens and creatures; he saw robots that were just as sentient as any human. He saw traitors and rebels seated as allies...  
A few nodded solemnly at the sentiment...at least those that had seen true war and suffering.  
Admiral Ackbar nodded his brownish hued head and looked with his bulbous eyes towards the white uniformed Grand Admiral. Supreme Commander Thor bowed his head down in agreement. Human Alliance Fleet Commander Sis'karaana dipped his massive reptilian head down. Those three had known wars that made some of the battles these other commanders fought seem like nothing. They had fought in wars that saw millions, if not billions dead.  
How many would die in this new war?  
"That is far too true Grand Admiral." Thor said.  
"And unfortunately I believe that there are going to be many more heroes before this war is ended" Ackbar added.  
"They shall have died an honorable death in battle." The Klingon Admiral said. Anjek frowned.  
"The projections for casualty rates we sustained are massive. It's estimated that over 100,000 crewmen were lost in that engagement on our side. Covenant losses are unknown. The ground campaigns resulted in the destruction of several million Covenant soldiers and almost half a million Coalition solders lost in combat. Sector General Complin has seen fit to isolate the remaining pocket of Covenant resistance and a Special Operations team has been sent in." Anjek said.  
"But right now the ground situation is in the very capable hands of Sector General Complin and his forces. Our concern is aimed at the remaining forces that the Covenant can throw against us." Anjek said. He looked at Admiral Ackbar. The Mon Calamari stood slowly and Anjek took his seat.  
"New Republic intelligence Ferrets have been in operation along the borders of UNSC and Covenant space. For the most part, we believe that the main target for the Covenant attack was Earth, and only Earth. There have been no other incursions into UNSC space. But Federation 'Defiant' class Light Cruisers and Human Alliance 'Piranha' Class Stealth Ships show that many of the out lying Covenant marshalling points that have been identified are vacant. Nothing remains." Ackbar said, and then manipulated one of the control toggles before him. A hologram sparked to life and hung in the air.  
"A Human Alliance stealth ship investigated the former UNSC controlled planet of Reach and located this." Ackbar said. The hologram showed the planet as a small ball of green and brown, the rest of the hologram was crowded with fleets.  
Plural. The sheer assorted masses of vessels were frightening. There were so many...dear god...there were so many. There were too many, far too many. If the Coalition faced it now, they would be out numbered ten to one.  
"Accurate estimates are unavailable. But it seems as though this fleet is roughly five times the size of the forces that hit Earth. Estimated at ten thousand hostile ships of varying capabilities and specifications. We can be assured that two thousand of these ships are of Covenant standard specifications, the other eight thousand are of 'Allied' specifications." Ackbar said.  
"Thank you Admiral Ackbar." Grand Admiral Anjek said standing up slowly. The human stood and examined the hologram intently, his eyes drinking in the enemy forces and their positions. He knew what he was about to ask of these commanders and knew that he had to word his plan carefully. Technically Supreme Commander Thor was in charge of the Coalition fleet. But Grand Admiral Anjek had 'assumed' command. The Asguard had been in no position to continue command of the battle, and Anjek's command and forces had been the deciding factor in the engagement over Earth. Without them, the victory would have been a slaughter.  
Command had been conceded to Anjek to a degree, although it was strictly unofficial. Right now, Anjek was about to try and make it official. Well, he was about to kick out a plan.  
"Commanders...I wish to propose a daring plan." Anjek said. He didn't turn around to look at the other officers and commanders. He knew that he held their attention to the fullest extent.  
"I wish to propose a strike at the heart of this Covenant Armada. Not a strike to delay their assault. Oh no...I propose to completely annihilate it. Wipe it from this plane of existence." Anjek said.  
"I believe that what you propose is madness Grand Admiral. The Covenant ships alone outnumber us four to one. Combined with their allies, it's almost ten to one!" The Commander of the SGC's Prometheus Carrier units said nervously.  
"And we have a much more motivated and trained force at our command. Coupled with the superior technology that some of our vessels can boast, we have a chance. And, we are in a much better Strategic and Tactical position." Anjek said.  
"Please explain Grand Admiral." Ackbar asked.  
"Our position around Earth is inferior for one simple reason. We had to defend the planet. We were set into a forced position that left us little room for maneuver beyond massive and violent assault on the advancing units. If you had stayed in place they would hate torn you apart and the battle would have been lost. And you could not abandon the planet and retreat. Several Billion lives said that was not an option." Anjek said.  
"Of course, this is true Grand Admiral. But what options did we have?" Supreme Commander Thor asked.  
"None, and that is the titanic weakness of such a fixed defense so close to the objective. It was victory or death, and that is testified to so clearly by the destroyed ships out there. This was a battle of blood and resolve, not Strategic or Tactical finesse. And I believe that if this force of Covenant does make another determined assault, we will lose." Anjek said.  
"So you would have us charge into the face of superior odds?" Ackbar said.  
"Yes Admiral, that is exactly what I would have us do. IF we attack, we can gain surprise, superior position, and an effective boost to morale." Anjek said.  
"But we're outnumbered ten to one!" The SGC commander said.  
"So were the Rebels at the Battle of Endor. Isn't that right Admiral?" Anjek said as he addressed the latter part of the question to Admiral Ackbar.  
"Yes Grand Admiral, the Rebel fleet was inferior, both technologically and numerically, but I remind you Grand Admiral, the Emperor was killed and the Death Star destroyed, along with Admiral Piett. I believe that had an effect on the fighting capacity of the Imperial fleet somewhat." Ackbar said.  
"But you survived and exploited a Tactical weakness in a Strategic strength, the Death Star. Your small fleet damaged the Empire that day, and we have not so easily recovered. If we assault this Covenant Armada now, we can deal a blow to the Covenant that they might never recover from." Anjek said.  
"Or, we could have the combined forces of the Federation, the Klingon Empire, the Asguard, the SGC, the Empire, the New Republic and X-Com all wiped out in one battle. That could cripple any kind of defense that we could muster, and smash our ability to resist before this war has truly begun!" The SGC officer said again.  
"Commander, I believe that you need to remember, if we don't do something that Covenant Armada is going to swoop down on us and wipe every single vessel we have out of space. We will have sacrificed any meager advantage we could have by sitting around on our ships and waiting!" Anjek snarled, the slam of his cane down on the tabletop punctuation for what he said.  
The assembled officers remained silent.  
"We have to attack them, and crush them. Victory at this assault on Reach is the only option. If we are content to rest here then we are already dead, and this world already lost. Attack is our only recourse, and victory the only outcome we can hope for. We can win gentlebeings. We can drive the Covenant back from Reach, secure Earth, and set the tone for this war. If we do not, then we...along with all our peoples, have already lost." Anjek said.  
"I, concur with your analysis Grand Admiral." Supreme Commander Thor said.  
"I wish to depart immediately." Anjek said, reluctant nods were his response. He frowned.  
"I am fully aware of the seemingly insurmountable odds we face. But we can be assured that this is our only option for possible victory." Anjek said, he was leading this force into the face of death, and with enough skill, death would blink.  
  
Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', Hyperspace, 0044 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
Anjek stood on the bridge and looked out the viewport once more. He had stood in this same position eleven days ago, and he had been prepared for battle then, just as he was now. He was commanding one of the most diverse, and largest fleets any Imperial officer had ever had at his command. Humans and Aliens, Republic and Imperial, heading into battle side by side, perhaps into death side by side.  
There was something calming about this knowledge of impending doom. They were running into a fight and they were going to do battle with the enemy, they couldn't turn around, and they couldn't retreat. Victory or death was quite the motivator.

"Dropping from Hyperspace in three...two...one...transition." One of the officers said tensely. Apparently the calm before battle did not rest well with many. The starlines that had signified hyperspace travel disappeared and the glittering backdrop of space, and the mauled planet of Reach were it's replacement. The Covenant fleet spread out before them was completely unawares of the new arrivals. Anjek smiled with a predatory bent. His plan was perfect. A fleet of this size was a force to be reckoned with, but if it was completely unready for combat, then it was easier than shooting dreadnaughts. And right now, they were trying to martial their forces to move on Earth. Easy pickings if they hit the Covenant hard enough and fast enough.

"Grand Admiral. All Imperial vessels report no problems and are assuming offensive formation. The Human Alliance fleet has also arrived with no problems." One of the Comms officers reported. Anjek looked out and could see the massive shapes of Star Destroyers and their accompanying vessels dropping from hyperspace like arrows, and falling into precise positions. Anjek had drilled his men relentlessly since he had taken command, and they were very good. Emerging from hyperspace in perfect fighting formation was something that many commanders had used to garner a decisive advantage during the Rebellion. Right now it could make all the difference in the universe.

"Good, have the fleet move into combat and provide cover for the New Republic." Anjek said. While Grand Admiral Anjek had signifigant respect for the New Republic's advantages, their superior fighters, their morale and their strong ships...the war with the Yuuhzan Vong had weakened it severely. Much of the New Republic's forces had been decimated in the fighting, and as a result many of the crews were green and un-tested.

"The New Republic forces are emerging from hyperspace. They're moving to redress their battle lines." The Sensor officer said. Anjek frowned, he had expected as much.

"Good." Anjek said, but didn't sound pleased.

"Asguard, Federation, and Klingon warships have exited hyperspace. They are moving in to cover the flanks of the force." The sensor officer added. Anjek nodded. The bulk of his plan centered on the Human Alliance, Imperial and New Republic fleets making up the bulk of the offensive punch. They had the largest amount of firepower and could do the most damage. The others would guard their flanks and keep the main thrust protected.

"All forces report ready, no tangible Covenant Response. Strange...we're not exactly hard to miss." The Sensor officer said. Anjek frowned. What could distract this Covenant force from the hostile fleet that had just appeared?  
  
Covenant Flagship 'Persuasive Duty', Coalition Armada over Reach, 0044 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
The Hunter slammed down on the deck plates with a final death cry; it's heavy armor plate drowning out the sounds of combat that filled the bridge. Plasma weapons fire filled the air and wild battle cries drowned out any sound. Most of the decking outside the command bridge was covered in blood and bodies, dead Elites, Jackals, Grunts, and Hunters. Even Tau Fire warriors and Lizard infantry males littered the decking.  
The bridge was in enemy hands, along with the command centers on most of the Covenant Fleet. Enemy forces had taken over many of the command decks and had been fighting hard to hold onto them, and do as much damage as they possibly could.  
Treason, traitors within the Covenant Hegemony. Them and their allies.  
The Protoss had rebelled against their Covenant masters, and their Eldar colleagues were aiding them.  
A Dark Archon and a squad of Zealots stood watch over the bridge entry, holding back the determined Covenant assaults to retake the flagship's bridge from the traitor's hands.  
The last assault had been crushed, the Dark Archon turning the Covenant warriors against each other, and the Zealots chopped apart anyone that made it close enough to them. The Covenant forces hadn't been willing to give up at all. No, they were intent on throwing away whatever troops they needed to. They wanted that bridge back.  
"Prepare for another assault." Sulas 'Kinmande ordered, His black armor unmarked by battle, although he was leading this charge. He looked down the halls behind him and noted the assembled troops. The massive green forms of the burly Mutons made up the bulk of this wave, along with the hovering forms of Ethereals. Even the bony Skeletoids and Anthropoids were stacked in the corridor. This was going to be another vicious assault.  
The Elite nodded and the troops moved out. The massive green Mutons spraying the hall with plasma fire. Their simple minds easily falling prey to the Dark Archon's mind control abilities with ease. Their feeble minds being warped and twisted by the Protoss command of their psi abilities. Their charging comrades quickly dispatched the turned Mutons; there was no room for trying to save allies. If they were turned, they would die.  
With such hideous cries of battle and rage, the few remaining Mutons slammed into the Protoss Zealots, their psi blades slicing and stabbing in their smooth dance of death. The bio-engineered skins that the Mutons were clad in could not stand up to the psi energies that came into contact with them.  
The Ethereals followed, their powerful minds immune to the Dark Archon's powerful mental abilities, but their weak physical forms no match for the Zealots potent attacks. Followed closely by Skeletoids and Anthropoids, they fared little better than the Mutons and Ethereals. One drew it's clawed hand back to hurl a vortex mine, but was stopped by the firm grasp upon it's mind by the Dark Archon. It dropped the potent explosive to the deck.  
Sulas 'Kinmande looked down the hall at the bloodshed and sent the order for more troops.  
  
Protoss Carrier 'Shadows of Light', Joint Protoss/Eldar Armada, hidden in the Yurt cloud, 0046 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
High Templar Halimdar stood upon his bridge and gazed out through the swirling ice clouds that concealed his fleet and the Eldar forces from view of their 'masters'. The Protoss had no intent of ever serving the Covenant. But with the few remaining Protoss worlds being held captive by Covenant forces, they had little choice to obey. Otherwise, they would face extinction at the hands of the invaders.  
Of course, they had supported the ruse long enough. Long enough to evacuate the civilians with Eldar aid and position their fleet to mettle out the most damage to the Covenant swine. Now, they had struck a blow for the freedom of the Protoss and the Eldar. They would smite the Covenant in a single blow.  
But now...now the 'Coalition' had made their assault at a very fortuitous moment. The Covenant fleet was facing internal revolt and disunity, they were horribly weak. It was perfect.  
One command, that was all that had to be sent.  
'Attack.'  
  
Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', Coalition assault fleet, Proximity to Reach, 0106 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
"Asguard Taskforce three reports breakthrough. Klingon vessels moving to exploit."  
"Human Alliance Battleships 'Thunder', 'Hadies' and 'Inferno' report that they have destroyed the Covenant Battlestation in sector four."  
"SGC X-302 fighter wings are stating heavy losses, X-Com Interceptors moving to support."  
"Federation battlegroup Alpha is falling back from heavy Goa'uld mothership assault."  
"We've just lost the New Republic Assault Carrier 'Intrepid', Star Destroyer 'Luckas' moving to cover gaps in line."  
"B-wing squadrons Gold, Beige, and Violet are moving in on an attack run at Sector nine, targeting the Covenant Flagship there."  
Anjek let the battle reports wash over him as he stood there, watching the battle writhe in space all around him, the clear view ports giving him unobstructed witness to the immense battle. The voices coming from the crew pits were calm and collected, reflections of the harsh and constant training that he had pushed his crews through. Had the 'Thrawn' been flying straight into a sun with engines ablaze, they would have maintained their composure.  
"Grand Admiral, more forces arriving from the Urt cloud. Signals and profiles match those of the Covenant sub race called the Protoss...and a race known as the 'Eldar'. They appear to be hostile, weapons armed and shields up."  
Anjek looked at the large formation of ice crystals and stellar gasses that swirled in space far beyond. The smooth and sleek lines of the alien craft emerging from it. There were a whole lot of them too.  
"Sith..." Anjek swore softly. This could tip the battle in favor of the Covenant. While the Covenant ships in the Reach depot were disorganized and putting up a fight...a well disciplined force could give them enough support to slam back against their attackers. Anjek frowned and watched the approaching vessels.  
"Sir, we're receiving a hail from one of the Eldar ships..."  
"Patch me through." Anjek said quickly.  
"Greetings Grand Admiral." The alien on the screen said. Anjek knew it was an alien, but he didn't look like an alien. He looked more like a human than anything else. Anjek raised one eyebrow and looked at the image on the screen before him apprehensively.  
"Greetings. I find myself at a disadvantage, whom am I speaking with?"  
"I am Commander Limande of the Eldar forces of Uthlwe."  
"What are you contacting me for Commander?" Anjek asked.  
"I am...requesting a courtesy Grand Admiral. While, I must admit that your peoples have suffered beneath one of the many races that now swear allegiance to the Covenant...I wish your forces not to attack the vessles of the Protoss or the Eldar fleets. We are not your enemy at the moment, and we wish you to have the discretion not to treat us as such." Commander Limande said.  
"I see Commander – order the 'Kikiader' to move to sector four with Tie defender squadron Alpha nine. Engage the Covenant Cruiser moving in with the two destroyers. – What assurances do I have that you are going to respond in kind?" Anjek said splitting between civil conversation and commands with ease.  
"We shall not engage your vessels Grand Admiral, we merely wish to destroy this armada. Our reasons for doing so are our own." Limande said with an expression that gave away no emotion.  
"Well then Commander, if you do so wish for our forces to be united then so be it. But how long will this last Commander?" Anjek said.  
"Until this battle is over, then the Eldar and the Protoss will leave this system."  
"Will we be enemies after this battle?" Anjek asked bluntly.  
"Only if necessary Grand Admiral."  
"Then for the moment we shall be united in a common cause."  
  
Covenant Command Battlestation 'Observant Wrath', Covenant Armada, Proximity to Reach, 0146 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
The Prophet of the Light was not pleased. First, three separate fleet marshals had be diusrupted, one had been damaged, and one entire armada had to be completely destroyed. The humans had damaged the first fleet gathering. The second had to be destroyed to prevent the spread of some strange life form. And the humans had disrupted the third.  
Then, the assault on earth had been destroyed completely. The humans dared to trifle with the will of the prophets and resisted. The entire fleet had been decimated, but some of the ground troops had survived. They had reached their objective, but wheither or not they could exploit it was up for debate.  
If they could, the thousands of Covenant dead would not have been spent in vain. If they could reach that depository of knowledge left by the Forerunners, this would be the greatest victory they could hope for.  
But right now, they had to contend with a counter attack, and with treason. The Protoss scum had rebelled and were wreaking havoc with the ability of the loyal Covenant forces to regain control of the ships. That would have been bad enough. Most of the vessels were experiencing at least some degree of revolt from the Protoss. Some vessels had even been completely taken over and were not fighting.  
The worst part of this whole affair was that the Protoss fleets had decided to set upon the Covenant and loyalist forces with a vengeance, along with a fleet of ships of unknown design and command.  
All these factors combined made any kind of defense nearly impossible.  
The Prophet of the Light scowled and looked at the command screen. The enemy was diverse, but organized; they had a very good commander...someone who knew what they were doing. The Gold clad commanders stood amongst the command consoles and directed the futile defense of the Forerunner system. The UNSC had fought hard to hold onto this system, and now they were coming back, could they possibly understand what was held within this planet?  
No...  
If they did, then they would know that an even greater treasure was held on their own home world.  
But they were here now, and whatever they knew or did not know with their primitive minds was of no importance. They were providing much more of a fight than they had in the defense of this system. Their vessels were now much more powerful and much better equipped. They had garnered significant advantages in a very short time.  
"Come forward." The Prophet of the Light said to a shadowed figure standing of behind the Prophet's throne. The hooded figure moved forward its features hidden beneath the heavy shadows. The black fabric of the figures outfit seemed to absorb the light and mask the creature's form. It was the size of a human.  
"Yes, my master." The form said.  
"This battle is one in vain. We cannot find victory against these traitors and humans. Many of us shall leave. But I shall remain to take command of the forces and hold these humans here. That shall by time for our retreat." The Prophet said.  
The hooded figure remained silent.  
"You shall leave and take word to the high council. This system is lost. But this war shall be far from over. The humans will be annihilated, along will any other races that deign to stand as their allies. We shall wipe them from the face of this galaxy, and then from the universe. Then you and your armies shall have the vengeance they so desire." The Prophet said.  
The hooded figure drew back his hood and exposed his human features.  
"The Sith shall have our revenge at your command Prophet." The Sith lord said with a sneer.  
The prophet shurugged beneath his hick cloaks and coverings.  
"You merely bide your time Sith. And remember, you serve the Prophets, we do not serve you."  
"Of course my Lord. Of course, the Jedi are those we wish to exact vengeance upon and we shall do so at your command." The Sith Lord replied.  
The prophet motioned and the Sith left to carry out his commands.  
  
Super Star Destroyer 'Thrawn', Close Proximity to Reach, 0395 Hours, December 25th, Christmas Day  
  
It had been a long battle, but Reach had been taken. Of course, much had happened in the favor of the Coalition to give their forces a victory. The Covenant were divided and they were weak. The Protoss revolt had made any organized defense impossible. The Eldar and Protoss fleets had attacked and laid waste to the Covenant fleets in unison with the Coalition forces. Nothing survived.  
A few vessels had slipped away, but they were dregs compared to the massive numbers of Covenant ships that had been completely destroyed.  
A world had been retaken and a Covenant Armada had been destroyed. It was a great victory.  
The Eldar and Protoss had vanished without a trace after the last Covenant cruiser had gone down in flames. No messages were sent, no instructions given, they merely vanished without a word; disappearing into the Urt cloud without a trace.  
Of course, a victory was a victory, and now that Reach had been retaken, the Coalition could boast a significant victory. But Anjek was not ready to celebrate yet. He had summoned the assembled commanders of the Coalition fleet to the 'Thrawn' and wished to address them all at once.  
The main Stormtrooper briefing room had seating for over five hundred, and it was packed to bursting. Anjek stood before the fleet commanders and looked at the diverse assemblage with humility.  
He saw the slate gray of Imperial captains, his own commanders sitting there, along with the black uniforms of fighter commanders. They sat there, fully intent on him, their respect for their Grand Admiral clearly visible. He looked down at the white uniforms of New Republic captains and commanders. The uniforms that he had learned to respect so much. The fighter pilots and associated officers looked somewhat laid back, but were interested in what he was about to say.

Anjek surveyed the Klingon captains, they looked as though they were bedecked for war, but Anjek reminded himself they were. The Klingons had boasted more boarding actions than all the other fleet forces combined. The Imperial's gaze shifted to the Federation captains. While they were not professional soldiers, or nearly as capable as the Imperial or Klingon commanders, they were competent and had held their own.

The Asguard commanders sat silently, their lack of clothing setting them apart from the rest of those that waited for the Grand Admiral's speech. But they had fought just as hard as any of the other commanders and crews in this hall.

The Human Alliance commanders looked to be the most diverse group out of any of the other command teams, even the New Republic. The Human Alliance commanders looked like a veritable zoo of different species, they all seemed to be interested in Anjek's coming speech.

The comparably small concentration of the SGC and X-Com commanders were a distinct minority compared to the professional military forces represented within the hall. They were professional soldiers, but their units had more experience on the ground than they did in space.

"Commanders, Captains and Admirals." Anjek said, his amplified voice.

"I stand before you fresh from the hard fought Second Battle of Reach. Our ships and crews have all fought hard on this day. Some of which shall never leave this system. Their bodies are entombed in the void, and they have earned the right to be remembered as warriors." Anjek said, many cries came up from the Klingon captains, along with a few of the Human Alliance Captains, and even the X-Com commanders.

"We have won two victories against the Covenant Hegemony. We have shown them that from this moment forwards, there will be no such thing as an easy conquest. Before, they could take worlds without difficulty, now we shall give them hellfire and destruction. We have shown the Covenant that they shall fight and die just as the UNSC has for so long." Anjek said.

"Now...now we face a war longer and more destructive than any we have seen. Worlds, if not galaxies shall be destroyed in this conflict. Fleets demolished and armies wiped out. There will be bloodshed on a scale unknown before this point. Such death and destruction shall fill the stars and we shall be both the dealers and receivers of it." Anjek said grimly.

"I wish to say this to you all, before this war truly begins. Throughout history, there have always been those who have said war is a horrific thing. They have said that there should be another way. They have said that all war has wrought is destruction and death. I am a soldier...and I can agree with them full heartedly. I have witnessed too much death for too long, and I believe that many of you can say the same thing."

"But now...now there is no choice. The Covenant have given us no choice. They shall take nothing less than the annihilation or enslavement of every sentient species that stands before them. And now we have to fight, we have to kill and destroy. For some this shall bring distaste. For some it shall bring horror. For some it shall bring honor. But may we all rest assured that no matter what we do, no matter what atrocities are commited in this war..." Anjek sighed and trailed off he looked at the beings within this hall. He shook his head.

"...no matter what we do, no matter what happens...we are doing this for the most righteous reason that any war has yet been waged. We are fighting for the innocent lives of trillions. We are fighting for the defense of those who may never know who we are, we are fighting for some that may loathe what we stand for and believe in. But still, we shall fight."

"For many of us, there shall be no reward. There may be no true honor deserving of what we do. We are laying down our lives for the noblest of reasons. And many of us shall die for those noble reasons." Anjek said with a heavy heart. He was a soldier and a warrior. He had fought to keep the Empire whole and had failed, he had fought to defend his Galaxy from the Yuuhzan Vong, and had been marginally successful. Now this war would be the most important war that any race or people had ever fought. It would be more important than the Rebellion, more important than the Clone wars, or the Sith war. This would be the war that would decide how a Universe would survive. Would it be free, or would it be enslaved beneath the Covenant?  
For a long moment Anjek thought about those that would gladly see the military forces of these races destroyed and left to rust, all in the name of 'Peace'. He thought of those that would tell the soldiers before them that the Covenant was in the right, and that they should respect the cultural heritage that the Covenant possessed by dying. He thought of those that would call for negotiation as worlds were fed into the maw of the Covenant Armadas.  
Anjek thought sourly of those that championed 'Peace'.  
There would never be peace in this Universe, ever again. There would always be conflict somewhere. No matter what those believers in 'Peace' thought, war was inevitable. Even after this war against the Covenant was won or lost, it would be there...conflict.  
"No matter what is said about the war we will wage...we shall fight and soldiers will die. I cannot deny that. We shall die in this war, how many? I do not know. For how long? I do not know. But may you all remember this single thing deep in your hearts as you battle this great evil, we are in the right."  
"We fight for everything that is good and pure in this universe. We are fighting for freedom, we are fighting for life, we are fighting for the rights and lives of trillions of peoples. We are fighting against those that would see our worlds burn and our peoples enslaved, and we shall fight them with every iota of strength and fury that we possess. We shall not falter, we shall not relent, we shall not have weakness. We shall fight and we shall die, but they shall fight, and they too shall die."  
  
"Look about this hall; you shall see faces that you shall never see again. I can guarantee this much. Some will die around planets that have no name. Others will be the diehard defenders of worlds that you have never known before. But you will all die as heroes. We shall all be heroes for what we do now, for what we fight against in our own lifetimes. Because we all stand here untied as one, we stand here ready to do battle for as long as it takes, and with as much fury as we possess."  
"You are all heroes because you are willing to fight and die for those who you have never known, for those who will never know your names or faces. That is why we are going to fight and die."  
"So that those innocents can live on."

* * *

And, chappie. Sorry about the halfhearted nature of that one, you call all have a pretty good idea of what these space battles look like. I wanted to gear this one towards finalizing who's on which side and that little speech Anjek gave.  
  
The writers block I was suffering from didn't help much either. But not to worry, the last chapter of this will be good. Now you'll find out what's going on in this universe.  
  
Chapter 12: Who are we? 


	13. Chapter 12: Who are we? What are we?

And now, revelation of why the Covenant came to earth.... and what the goals of the Alien forces known as the Forerunners are. It's the truth in my little Fanfic.  
  
Chapter 12: Who are we?...What are we?  
  
Airborne over southern Columbia, X-Com Troop transport 'Legs', 0321 Hours, December 31st  
  
John sat in one of the surprisingly comfortable jump seats of the X- Com troop ship. They had been designed to seat troops in armor comfortably, although in MJOLINOR armor, comfort was relative.  
He would have been much more comfortable fighting the Covenant forces that were on earth now. Not sitting in the belly of a shielded and cloaked transport vessel, he didn't like inaction, even if he was going to recon a vastly superior Covenant position in the jungles and Mountains of Brazil. John sighed and turned his attention to the here and now.

John looked around at the other passengers in the bay of the transport. His eyes drifted from his teammates sitting along the wall beside him to the X-Com mercenaries sitting along the opposite wall. John knew he could work with them, he knew that he could fight alongside them willingly had without doubt of their skills. But his gaze drifted back towards the occupants at the rear of the transport and fixed on the small group that sat there. They didn't look anything like soldiers for the most part. They wore no armor, and carried no recognizable weapons. They did claim to be carrying weapons though...things that looked like the handgrips of swords, but with no blades.

John ignored it. He wouldn't have to worry about them; they claimed they could take care of themselves...although these 'Jedi' seemed a little too self-assured than anyone else in this transport. He ran over their mission parameters and objectives. Silently thanking high command for placing him in command rather than an outsider. He knew he could get this mission done.

Objective one, locate the main body of the Covenant forces in the Andes Mountains.

Objective two, ascertain force strength, and force dispositions of enemy forces.

Objective three ascertain reasons and objectives of Covenant forces in this area. John nodded. These were comparatively simple objectives considering some of the missions he'd been on. He had plenty of backup if things went sour. Two full Human Alliance divisions were ready too swoop in if things got hot, apparently they claimed to be better on the offense than on the defense. They were ready for anything that was going to happen. They were ready to recon this position and find out what they could. And after two weeks of bloody fighting, all the Covenant forces in North America had been destroyed at high cost.

Now the Coalition forces were intent on finding out what had brought the Covenant to Earth. It had to be something, something important. They hadn't glassed Earth from orbit when they had the chance; they'd taken their time, and moved in ground troops. Two massive thrusts to take out the bulk of Coalition Command and Control...but their large force in Brazil was a mystery...a mystery that they were being sent in to unravel.  
"ETA is five minutes Master Chief." The pilots voice hissed at him.  
"Affirmative." John replied. He stood up inside the troop bay and looked back at those riding with him into battle.  
"We're going to hit the objective in five minutes. You've all been briefed and know what we're looking for. Whatever the Covenant is up to, we're going to figure out what it is and shut it down." John said and received nods in response.  
"Two minutes!" The pilot provided. The passengers stood and faced the front exit ramps. They knew what to do. The X-Com vets had taught the others how to get out of one of these transports in a hurry, and since they were going to be drawling a little attention with their landing, a hurry was a very good way to get out of the transport.  
They were rappelling down into the rainforest. They couldn't land, and carving out an LZ would draw too much attention.  
"Let's go!" John ordered and the passengers formed two lines, each one by a hatch on either side of the transport. With a hiss, the pair of hatches opened and the transport slowed considerably, going from two hundred miles per hour to dead stop in a few moments. But no one inside the transport felt a thing. X-Com had really, really good technology.  
On either side of the transport descent cables dropped down to the jungles below. The Spartans repelled down first, their massive armored forms dropping through the thick canopy layers swiftly, crashing through branches and leaves to clear a path down. The X-Com troopers followed along behind them. Although they were well armored, the X-Com disruptor armor wasn't nearly as heavy as the MJOLINR plate armor; they were battered around as they fell through the gap forged by the Spartans. Finally, the Jedi dropped down, and although they seemed to be the lightest and weakest of the armored warriors, they had the least difficulty dropping down through the canopy.  
With a final look, the transport pulled up the drop lines and darted away from the hotzone.  
John paid no heed to the rapid dissapearance of his extraction team. There was no need to concern himself with escape unless something...unfortunate happened.  
"Cortana?" John said through his helmet com.  
"The Covenant are not aware of our presence." Cortana supplied. John nodded and gave the signal to move forwards into the jungle. The X- Com soldiers fanned out in a skirmish line and promptly disappeared. Wheither it was their cloaking units or the thick undergrowth he didn't know. Thankfully their positions were marked clearly on his HUD. The last thing he needed would be friendly fire in a firefight.  
"I can feel the force...it's so incredibly strong here..." One of the Jedi said.  
"Quiet." John said sharply. They weren't military, that much had been made clear. But unfortunately not much else had.  
"But I can sense it...a strong energy in the force. But not light, nor is it dark. It is as though there is a great power here that has never experienced existence with the force." The Jedi said.  
John was annoyed but moved on. He didn't have time for scholars to be babbling on about the 'Force' he had to worry about infiltrating a Covenant position that possessed vastly superior numbers. He didn't need this now.  
"Move out." John ordered. The Jedi looked taken aback but obeyed.  
"We're three kilometers out from the center of the Covenant position. Satellite and starship imagery show that there is some sort of massive excavation going on. The Covenant forces are pretty dense, but you do stand a very good chance at slipping through and infiltrating their position." Cortana said.  
"Oh? A 'very good chance'? What are those odds?" John asked.  
"Minor at best. But nothing more than you go through." Cortana said, and John was very sure that if she had a body she would have shrugged. John looked around at the dense jungle and wondered just what the Covenant forces were so intent on getting.  
  
Covenant Excavation Forces, Near Brazilian border in the Andes Mountains, 0451 Hours, December 31st  
  
Ethereal Granadon of Yetari supervised the labors of over fifty Mutons as the burly and muscular servants labored to clear another of the many passageways snaking their way through these immense mountains. Granadon of Yetari had not seen sunlight for almost a week now, and he did not wish to. The Sun on this planet was far too bright, and the sight of an enemy fleet far above at night was not comforting. The spindly and weak psychic soldier turned his weak and underdeveloped eyes to the walls of the passage the Mutons were clearing.  
He looked at the delicate writing that was emblazoned on the walls, the language and symbols of the Forerunners. Granadon of Yetari did not know what the words meant. Few did. But some of the Prophets did understand the language, and the Ethereal envied them for it. He had seen many of the writings and wished he knew what they said.  
But his attention was diverted when one of the Mutons reported that they had broken through the blockage. The orange cowl that covered it's head turned towards the rubble strewn hall and noted that now light was streaming through the blockage. The Mutons began to work even more furiously to clear away the rubble.  
The small chink of light expanded into a passage large enough for the Mutons to force through. They retrieved their Heavy Plasma rifles and moved into the unknown. After they had formed up into a combat line, Granadon of Tetari moved forward through the gap.  
He emerged in a corridor of titanic proportions. It was easily a hundred feet high and nearly a thousand long and easily wide enough to fit a cylindrical Star Spawn Battleship through with ease. The Ethereal looked about in amazement.  
The strange alien architecture made it resemble a temple. The straight lines and towering design dwarfed all those that stood in it. Even if it did seem familiar, it was just as ancient and alien to him as this human world was. He turned back towards the tunnel and sent a telepathic message back to the Covenant masters that resided back on the surface.  
One of the Mutons grunted as he saw something. A strange glowing orb hovered down from the high ceiling of the room. It blinked occasionally and spun to face them.  
"My, my, my. It has been such a long time since we have had visitors." The glowing object said hovering up to the Elthereal's face. The soldier stopped and paused, it did not understand the words the thing had spoken, and it was not a sentient being. It could not understand what it was thinking. The Alien soldier raised it's Heavy Plasma rifle and fired off a burst of green plasma.  
To completely no effect.  
"Such manners. I see now that you are not sent by the Forerunner Alliance. And if you are not sent by them then you have no right in being in the Vault of Knowledge." The glowing orb said and hovered back up and away as others dropped down. These looked slightly more dangerous that the featureless sphere. They had stubby wings and looked more combative.  
"Kill them and reseal the entrance." The orb ordered before flitting off. The strange hovering devices opened fire with a series of golden beams; they coalesced on one of the Mutons. It didn't have time to utter a sound before it was lying on the deck in a multitude of pieces. The Mutons opened fire on the hovering devices, destroying them in a hail of plasma fire.  
Further down the corridor more of the drones appeared and darted towards the Mutons. The warriors opened fire without pause. Granadon of Yetari focused his mind and sent a much more urgent message to his lords. They would surely like to know that the entrance to the Vault of Knowledge left by the Forerunners had been uncovered.  
  
Strike Team 'Phantom Observer', Far Outskirts of Covenant Excavation site, 0832 Hours, December 31st  
  
The Covenant had plasma cleared a massive amount of jungle to make huge landing zones and encampment areas for their forces. Environmentalists would have simply gone insane over the immeasurable tracts of jungle that had been seared away beneath the plasma bombardment.  
The huge forms of Covenant ships covered the cleared grounds in deep shadow. Even more of the alien ships hovered overhead, some circling the encampment in large orbits, no doubt attempting to locate any interlopers. Sepehra fighters and Banshee aircraft made their own patrols closer to the canopy.  
Beneath the massive forms of the Covenant warships a large encampment had been set up. Barracks and troop shelters had been created on a massive scale. Long orderly rows of structures were laid out, and from a mile off the entire base looked like a flurry of activity and movement.  
Further to the west the Jungles hadn't been plasma blasted from existence. They'd been clear-cut. Even now long lines of Covenant soldiers were snaking up the mountainsides and removing the thick jungle that had been growing for eons. From this distance it resembled a long chain of ants working back and forth along familiar pathways dragging foliage and trees down as they were cleared.  
Several immense mounds of trees, brush, debris and soil were in constant growth. The Covenant were nothing if not efficient in their clearing of the jungles. The long tracts of the Covenant labor crews could be followed as they dragged large trees with Brutes and Ghosts though the encampment. Slowly but surely the piles continued to grow as more and more cleared foliage was being removed.  
Three large temples were nestled in the mountains. Large Aztec ziggurats stuck out from the earth, they were completely devoid of any kind of foliage. The Covenant had been very methodical in their efforts to clear out the jungle from around them. The central temple was significantly larger than those that flanked it. Shade weapons emplacements and portable energy shields surrounded the structure on different levels. The super-sized needle emplacements that the Covenant had put on Reach were set around it. Whatever was in that temple it was pretty damn important to the Covenant.  
Linda lay in the still standing tracts of jungle, well concealed from observation and watched the Covenant forces. She took in the ships with some concern, detection was likely, but they hadn't been found yet and that was a plus. Then trained a high power scope on one of the temples and watched as a very large group of high-ranking Covenant Elites made their way up the stone steps and into the ancient structure. The plethora of Gold armor plus the black armored Elites meant something important was in that temple.  
Her keen sniper's eyes counted them in an instant. Twenty Gold clad Commanders and a bodyguard of forty black clad escorts.  
"This is Phantom 1, I've spotted a major Covenant entourage moving into the center temple. Sixty strong, commanders and escorts." Linda hissed over the comm frequency. She lay perfectly still in her position. The X-Com Disruptor long rifle that she had been given resting on its bipod before her, carefully camouflaged with a complicated optical camouflage fabric. She was invisible at this distance.  
"Affirmative Phantom 1." John's voice returned.  
A flight of Banshee fighters flew overhead in a flying V formation. They didn't circle back around on a strafing run.  
  
Labor unit 92-A, Dumping point One, 0832 Hours, December 31st  
  
Tulom did not like this nasty labor. He and his brood mate were dragging another of these 'trezz' down from the excavations. Both of them were lashed to the immense trunk and were dragging it down. The Mutons followed along with them keeping the trunk from rolling behind them. It seemed as though this labor would never end. This work team was just one of thousands of them, endlessly marching up the hills and mountains and dragging down more and more debris.  
They were soldiers, not slave laborers, and unfortunately they were being treated as such. The team hadn't slept for two days now and they were exhausted.  
That's probably why they didn't see their attackers.  
They'd all heard the stories of course, those strange stories about the Phantom killers that had attacked troops on one of the armadas headed towards earth. But most regarded them as mere tales to be told and laughed about. No one here really believed in them, just old soldiers tales.  
But when a shimmer in the hot air sent a blue-white plasma blast into the crack between Tulom's armor plates, he was dead before he hit the ground. His body slammed into the hard packed earth in a torrent of orange blood. His brood mate swung its fuel rod cannon around but was too slow. Another plasma blast from another angle and smacked the massive form off balance. The Hunter stumbled off balance.  
The Mutons behind them scrambled for their weapons to return fire. But another of the shimmers had dropped down and was working furiously with its bladed staff. Several of the Mutons fell, and the hold on the log faultered.  
It started to side down the hillside. It's weight knocking most of the Mutons on one side to the ground and crushing their bodies. The off balance Hunter struggled to hold onto the weight and keep from being drug along down the hillside. It regained it's footing and held it's ground, slowly dragging the dead weight back up to level ground.  
One of the shimmers stood before the struggling Hunter, the target hard to miss. With one swipe the Hunter brought it's massive armored forearm down towards the attacker, and missed.  
With a hollow alien laugh the Yautja brought it's staff up and hacked the Hunter's head off. It's lifeless body tumbled backwards down the embankment, drug along with the heavy log it had been dragging.  
The Yautja let out a roar of satisfaction and returned to the slaughter of the Mutons that had been laboring along with his comrades. The Yautja hunters were keen to eliminate this threat to the Archives.  
  
Strike team 'Hidden Fist', Covenant supply depot, 1553 Hours, December 31st  
  
It had taken them most of the day to make their way through the hive of Covenant troops without being detected. They'd managed it through skill, luck and something the Jedi called the 'Force'. Considering what they'd manage to do to get this close to that Aztec ziggurat there had to be something powerful going on.  
Whither it had been the Covenant patrol that happened to look in the opposite direction long enough for them to slip past, or the soldiers that had seemed to conveniently fell asleep. Something was working for them, something powerful.  
Right now the team was hidden amidst the shipping containers of a Covenant supply depot. They were all concealed rather easily, and no one seemed to be concerned with investigating the supply depot on any kind of patrol.  
That seemed odd considering the ever increasing sounds of weapons fire, both from Covenant sources and some...unknown force. Linda had reported that there was a lot of shooting going on all over the encampment. The labors still continued, but more and more of the workers and soldiers were dying.  
It was a good distraction.  
Plus, there were a lot of ground transports moving up the hills now as well. Carrying supplies and materials up to the ziggurats the Covenant were excavating. The plan was pretty well mapped out; they'd hop into the back of one of the Lizard transport trucks, and ride it up to the temple. Then they'd storm the temple and find out what the Covenant was so interested in.  
All the while, calling in the final assault from the Coalition forces that had been massing around the position in preparation for the final destruction of the Covenant forces on Earth.  
"Let's move." John said softly. The troops nodded and moved quickly and quietly through the stacks of containers and supplies. No one was deep in the supply complex, but as they neared the loading areas Mutons and Jaffa hauled crates and other containers into the backs of transports.  
John nodded and pointed towards one of the less guarded trucks on the end. The others nodded and readied themselves to storm the truck. But before they could, the Mutons that stood watch over it abruptly walked away. John hesitated thinking it was a trap.  
"Go, it's clear." One of the Jedi hissed. John didn't pause, he moved forward, covering the few meters of open space and getting into the back of the transport. The others piled in and shifted the crates to make it seem as though the transport was full. Then they settled in to wait.  
One of the Jedi shifted and motioned his hand. The truck rumbled to life. John glanced at the other human with a stern eye.  
"What are you?" He asked quietly. Whatever had been happening, these Jedi had something to do with their luck.  
"I am a Jedi. Servant of the light and wielder of the Force." The man said.  
"What?"  
"The Force. It's something that exists in all things, it connects us, binds us and flows through us. I use the force to manipulate the weak minded and aid us in our mission." The Jedi replied.  
"You've been doing this?" John asked glancing about at the four Jedi. They nodded.  
"The force is a powerful ally." One of the Jedi replied.  
"Right..." John said. The force seemed to be an intangible thing. It sounded quite suspect to him. He'd take an MA5B in his hand any day to something he couldn't touch. But these Jedi could use it, and it was helping them so he accepted it.  
"I can sense your apprehension, but the Force exists in all living things. Yourself included. You may not be able to sense it, but it is still ever present." The Jedi said. John looked at them silently.  
He didn't know what they were talking about. But so long as they fought, if they believed in the force didn't matter to him.  
"We're nearing the ziggurat." Another of the Jedi said. The truck was slowing in it's climb. John nodded and motioned to the others.  
"X-Com, you boys hit the Shade emplacements and cover those upper tiers with high explosives and disruptor fire. Spartans, we're going up the stairs and taking that entrance. Jedi, you're with us. I hope your swords can do some good." John said and was answered with nods all around.  
The truck stopped with a rumble and there were sounds of movement and labors around the vehicle. John nodded and the stowaways sprang into motion.  
With one hand motion from a Jedi, the few crates at the back of the transport flew out and battered the workers moving them to the ground. The humans sprung out, igniting their lightsabers and landing amidst the confused and disoriented Covenant soldiers. The Spartans and X-Com mercenaries piled out just as quickly.  
"LETS GO!" John shouted and sprinted for the bottom of the stairs. The Spartans follwed along behind their new weapons firing rapidly. The X- Com weapons were familiar enough that the Spartans used them easily. The Disruptor rifles were vastly superior to anything the UNSC issued.  
John leveled his weapon and started to track his fire on one of the Shade emplacements. John's shielding units were tough, along with the X- Com troopers' shield units but the Jedi didn't have any armor on.  
The purple energy fire lashed across one of the weapons positions before the Elite that manned it even knew what hit him. John aimed and fired an Elerium grenade from the launcher beneath the barrel. The Shade bore the brunt of the fire and it tumbled off the ledge it rested on. The ensuing explosion knocked out several of the energy shields and sent quite a few Elites flying off the edge.  
John noted the other fire raking the emplacements along with explosions of flame and explosions of the bluish gas that they used against aliens. The Covenant defenders had been caught off guard, but that was changing fast. The rag-tag defense was replaced with sheets of plasma fire raining down as the Covenant guards got themselves together.  
John flung himself towards cover as far too many plasma blasts connected with his shields. The other Spartans did likewise, but maintained their fire. Fred and Will fell into place along side him. Their large forms pressed against the ancient stone as they fired from behind the scant cover. They had to move before they got pinned down.  
John looked back at the transport. The X-Com mercs were dug in amongst the shipping containers. They were pinned down, irregardless of their advanced shields and cloaking devices. The Covenant were throwing around a massive amount of plasma, and they were getting by on volume.  
John looked about for the Jedi and spotted one.  
Just as he leapt nearly fifty feet on one direction, landing on the level right above the trio of Spartans.  
"What the..." Cortana said, not believing her own sensors.  
John leaned back and fired off another grenade and a volley of disruptor fire. It silenced another Shade emplacement. He glanced up and saw the three Jedi fighting with some kind of energy swords.  
They were cutting a fairly large swath through the Covenant troopers, only slowing when they ran into the occasional plasma sword wielding Elite. They even looked like they were deflecting the plasma fire directed at them. That was impossible...  
But it was happening and there were a lot of Covenant soldiers being taken down by it, so he wasn't about to complain.  
He made a rapid hand gesture and the other two Spartans nodded. As one they leapt up and landed on the next tier. Then, with another leap they landed on the next tier amidst a large number of Covenant defenders. As one the three massive Spartans leveled their weapons and opened fire with a full auto barrage of disruptor fire.  
It was wholesale slaughter; some of the defenders were dissolved under the torrent of fire, ripped to shreds in sprays of blue and purple blood. Bodies were sent flying and smashing into the ancient stonework. Stone liquefied beneath the disruptor fire through the sheer amounts of heat and impacts.  
After raking the section of ziggurat thoroughly no one was left standing to oppose them. John glanced back, the Jedi were finished with their level and the X-Com troopers were simply charging up the stairs. They shrugged off the few plasma blasts sent there way and stormed up to the top of the ziggurat.  
The Spartans moved as one and leapt up to the top level to complete their own charging. The Jedi followed along soon after, covering the distance in a series of springing leaps. They landed and rushed into the shadowed entry under the thick covering fire of the Spartans and the X-Com mercs.  
"Alright. I want the Mercs and two of the Jedi to stay here and keep them off us. The rest of us are heading down to find out what the Covenant are so interested in." John said. There were nods and the X-Com personnel moved to set up a defensive position to hold off the likely counter attacks.  
John turned to the dark stone steps that decended into the deep shadows below and began to walk.  
  
Covenant Ground Command Center, Brazilian Excavation location, 1733 Hours, December 31st  
  
The Prophet of Knowledge was not pleased. Of course, setbacks were expected. Problems always occurred. But there were bright points, there were no flood life forms inside the Forerunner archives and there was no major Human interference.  
At least, identifiable 'major' Human interference, there was much occurring that was difficult to attribute to the primates, no matter how resourceful they were. The unit that had made it into the Archive entrance was a major concern at the moment. But even that major concern was overruled by the problems that were being placed by the phantoms that seemed to be running through the encampment and slaughtering anyone they came across.  
It was just like the second fleet all over again. Things were killing soldiers without being stopped. The attacks were aimed at disrupting their operations somehow. They seemed as though they were trying to hold up the operations in the area.  
The Prophet of Knowledge ignored the attacks. Right now, they were so close to their goal that everything else that could possibly occur fell aside. The Elites were inside the temple and descending deeper within the archives. Once they reached the final level they would unlock all the knowledge that the Forerunners had stored here.  
All their knowledge.  
Despite the set backs, despite the attacks and the humans, the Prophet of Knowledge was ecstatic.  
  
Entrance to the Temple of the Knowledge of the Forerunners, Brazilian Excavation location, 1739 Hours, December 31st  
  
Riuma 'Oltane stalked down the halls of the ancient Forerunner temple. His footfalls sounding crisp in the quiet halls. Well, they were quiet now that is. They had been dealing with nearly constant attacks by the defenses the Forerunners had for almost an hour. His original detachment of sixty was now down to eighteen. But after that last battle, they'd broken through the final line of the Forerunner defenses and were making good progress.  
The Gold sheathed elite looked around the gently descending corridor.  
Had he heard something?  
Had that been a clicking noise from somewhere above?  
The Elite looked up and around. The high ceiling ascended into the deep shadows. Something could have been lurking up there, but he wasn't sure. The Elite allowed his gaze to track around, but looked back down towards the path.  
It had be-  
The Elite felt the massive form of something drop down next to him. He spun in slow motion towards whatever it was and raised his Plasma rifle. The blur that stood there wasn't moving in slow motion, it was moving all together too fast. Something swung out fast and smacked the warrior in the face.  
The impact carried enough force to flip the Elite back and send him spinning in the air. At the apex of the spin, a pair of curved blades flashed out and cracked through the hard armor plating with ease. Blood spilled out onto the floor as the Elite slammed back down.  
That wasn't the only death; the rest of the Covenant expedition died in a torrent of bladed discs, plasma fire and spear thrusts. After a few moments, the Yautja defenders returned to their positions and waited for the next group to come along.  
The one that the Monitor had said the Reclaimer would be leading.  
  
Entrance to the Temple of the Knowledge of the Forerunners, Strike team 'Hidden Fist', 1800 Hours, December 31st  
  
John moved through the halls of the ancient structure with a rapidly building sense of unease. He didn't like the silence. Not one bit. There should be some sort of noise, especially considering what they had run across.  
There had been a running battle through these halls between Elites and the defense drones that the Forerunners used. Broken drones littered the ground, along with dead Elites. It was pretty easy to follow along in this wake of destruction and find out what the Covenant was so interested in.  
Whatever it was, it was deep. Very deep. Cortana estimated that they were nearly half a kilometer underground. This facility was extremely extensive as well. They hadn't veered off the paths that the Elites were following, but if they had they might have been lost in this labyrinth for years on end wandering aimlessly.  
John led the team, Will and Fred followed along, and the Jedi trailed at the rear. He liked it that way, the three that knew how to fight were at the forefront. The 'mystic' was behind them.  
"I can sense something." The Jedi said quietly.  
"What?" John hissed.  
"Up there." The Jedi said pointing up into the gloom high above.  
John looked up but didn't see a thing. As far as he was concerned the pile of dead Covenant Elites was more worrisome. Whatever had attacked them hadn't been scratched at all; it had managed to take out the entire Covenant unit without any difficulty.  
"I don't see anything." John said and looked ahead.  
"Wait, there." The Jedi said and pointed. John looked back up and saw it; a small pulse of blue light dropping down from high above. The small dot grew rapidly and came into an all too familiar form.  
Guilty Spark. The Monitor from HALO, the organism that had tried to wipe out all life in the galaxy, and in retrospects probably the universe. John felt a flush of both anger and confusion, the Monitor had died on HALO, it couldn't be here.  
Could it?  
  
John stepped back into a firing position, Fred and Will did the same and the Jedi ignited his lightsaber.  
"Ah. Finaly you have arrived." The Monitor said.  
"You're dead." John said.  
"I am? I shouldn't be, my systems still read as being functional. I shall check again." The monitor replied. It paused for a few long moments.  
"I am still functional, I believe you are mistaken."  
"On HALO, nothing could have survived that blast." John said.  
"Ah, you must mean one of the Monitors. We were created with the same superficial specifications of course. It is easy for someone to confuse the fact. He was a research and combat construct. I am an analytical and archive construct. There is a distinct difference." The hovering...thing...said. John was unmoved.  
"Right, and you would be?" John asked.  
"I am Librarian. I tend to the repository of the Knowledge and Hope of the Forerunner Alliance." The entity – Librarian – said.  
"I see. And what exactly do you do?" John said.  
"I defend this final hope of the Forerunner Alliance for the defeat of the Horde." The Librarian replied simply.  
"What?"  
"Ah, come, come. You are the Reclaimer, you possess an Index and can unlock the knowledge contained within." Librarian said. In a flash of orange light, they disappeared. All four of them vanished from the watchful gaze of the Yautja sentries high above.  
  
The Temple of the Knowledge of the Forerunners, Strike team 'Hidden Fist', 1809 hours, December 31st  
  
It could have been moments or eons that they waited in transport. That was how things worked with the teleportation net the Forerunners used. But they rematerialized in one piece and were fine, if not slightly annoyed.  
John blinked a few times and realized that he wasn't anywhere familiar. They were in a small room, surrounded on all sides by monitors and large curved windows that looked out at a massive room. It was epic in scale beyond the glass. Off in the distance, it stretched far into darkness, illuminated by silent points of light. From what little anyone could see they were hovering amidst the dark void of the chamber.  
"Welcome to the observatory." The Librarian said cheerfully.  
"Right. Now that we're here, wherever here is, tell me a few things." John said.  
"Most certainly Reclaimer." The Librarian replied.  
"Who or what is the Forerunner Alliance?" John asked.  
"They were the brightest light of hope in the Galaxy. They were an alliance of several of the most highly developed species that the Universe had created. The Forerunner Alliance was formed 5,042,234 Years, three months, five days ago, local time. Their intent was to bring civilization and order to all the Universe by combining the skills of the enlightened races they had." The Librarian said.  
"Who were the original races?" John asked.  
"The primary race was the Airlia. They conceived the notion with the Ancients. Under their leadership they united with the Orions and the Antarans, ending their brutal civil war and bringing peace between them. Each race held their own special component in the Alliance. The Airlia and the Ancients led the Alliance, the Orions led in science and the Antarans made up the Military. Beneath their enlightened rule life within the galaxy flourished in a renaissance of interstellar proportions." The Librarian said.  
"Where are they now?"  
"I do not know. No one does. They disappeared after the war against the Horde. As far as any of the constructs in the HALO net can decide, they were wiped out by the Horde over three million years ago."  
"Who are the Horde?"  
"None have been able to decipher who they are. The Orions made several speculations to the fact. They believed that the forces were of a parasitic nature made up of several different groups of diverse background benath the command of the semi-sentient 'Harvesters'. They attacked the dominon of the Forerunner Alliance four million years ago. We believe that all vestiges of the Forerunner Alliance were either pushed from known space, or annihilated. Specimens of the Horde were taken and set in the HALO network that was created as a final measure to halt the Horde."  
"Why didn't they use it?" "Unknown." "Where is the Horde now?" "Unknown." "Why weren't the HALO nets used against the Horde?"  
  
"Unknown. We believe that they were set in place along with the Final Solution." The Librarian said. John did not like the sound of 'the Final Solution', capital letters and all.  
"What is the Final Solution?"  
A desperate measure by the Forerunner Alliance that was set in place knowing that they were going to be destroyed. It is the last act of vengeance upon the Horde as it were."  
"You didn't answer me." John said.  
"Alas, I did not did I? But I suppose I should explain even if it is a cause of duress for your kind." The Librarian said.  
John was about to speak up but the Librarian continued.  
"The Final Solution was enacted by the Orions shortly before we lost contact. They gave the HALO net and it's associated research and fortress worlds the order to engineer a life form capable of battling the Horde. The same genetic code was used to engineer the species. Millions of different galaxies were seeded with limitless derivatives of the genetic strain. As the strain evolved through an accelerated process, probes and hidden factors manipulated the growth patterns of different lines to see what results could be achieved. Technological levels were changed, events and happenings regulated, all geared towards creating races that would some day fight the Horde." The Librarian said.  
"Unfortunately your arrival has disrupted that fact. You were not supposed to be alerted of the presence of the Horde, or the truth behind your existence for some time. The presence of the 'Covenant' has caused much duress amongst the networks. This Civil war that you are experiencing is a titanic threat to the Final Solution. If it drags on as it has been, then there is the possibility that the Horde will return soon, possibly as soon as a Million years from now, and catch you unawares." The Librarian said.  
Johns head was spinning. He'd just had the history of humanity turned upside down by that short speech. Everything that had ever happened to humans had been designed to guide them towards becoming better warriors so they could exact vengeance against an ancient enemy that had defeated some of the most powerful races in the galaxy.  
"This archive contains all the knowledge gathered from the test worlds and samples of the best warriors and commanders available. Shall I present samples?" The Librarian asked.  
"What?"  
"I shall present you with an example." The Librarian said and turned to face the limitless depths of the chamber. Outside the small room a golden halo of light came into being and a clear egg appeared outside.  
The egg shaped container was transparent, making the figure floating inside plainly visible to those inside the room. It was a human, he looked to be about 5'10", appeared stocky and not exactly in the pinnacle of physical shape. His eyes were shut but he seemed as though he was ready to awake at any moment, irregardless of the clear fluid that he was suspended it.  
"One of the more promising Tactical and Strategic commanders we have available. Genetic cells and brain waves harvested from Subject world 947653-425, at local year 1944 at time of death. Mental reconditioning and retraining constant, current status is green. He is able to be revived without problems." The librarian said.  
John looked at the figure. He recognized the face from somewhere, somewhere far back in his mind... Even his augmented memory was having trouble dredging up the information. He stopped trying and faced the Librarian.  
"Who is that?" John asked and turned his vision towards the figure.  
"Library subject 937530285-3242432-285753. Local rank and Name, General Erwin Rommel." The librarian said. John blinked, he blinked hard...he did know that face, and he really did know that the Librarian wasn't lying. He knew who that was...  
General Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox; the German general that had pushed back the British during the Second World War, only finding defeat because of his own superiors and lack of supplies.  
John was at a loss for words.  
"The Forerunner Alliance left orders that those which possessed superior combat abilities, scientific skills, or leadership traits be studied harvested and cloned at this facility. Then if the need to combat the Horde returned, we would be able to field a large cadre of skilled leaders retrained with abundant skills and ready to fight."  
John looked at the floating form of one of Nazi Germany's most skilled Generals and then back to the Librarian.  
"How many more?"  
"9,242,626...A full catalogue is available." The Librarian said. John looked around the immense space. This is what the Covenant was after. A storage site for the most skilled commanders and warriors from history...from all...histories...  
"Librarian, you said that the genetic seed was the same for all the races spawned?"  
"Yes Reclaimer, that is true."  
"What of the Covenant?"  
"They are merely an evolutionary branch from the original architecture of the Final Solution. They were bred to be much more oriented towards physical combat and had curbed technical and scientific abilities. Of course, this was all deliberate." The Librarian said.  
"So, Humans, and Covenant are from the same genetic code?"  
"Yes Reclaimer." The Librarian replied. John felt nauseous. He had always thought of the Covenant as being alien, completely and totally alien in his existence. Nothing closely related to the Covenant was closely related to him or any human. But now, now he learned that the Covenant and Humanity shared things down to the Genetic level. That was deeply unsettling.  
John looked back out into the caverns. Suddenly he realized that there was so much different between the Covenant and humanity...it was exemplified within this room. The Covenant wanted this room to crush all humanity and all sentient life in the Universe. Humanity wanted to keep it from Covenant hands.  
"What are we?" John asked.  
"Weapons, Reclaimer. The Final Solution has produced the Best weapons of war the galaxy has ever seen. You and your kind."


	14. Epilogue: The thoughts of a Warrior

Epilogue: The Thoughts of a Warrior  
It's really hard to try and understand what this universe is about. It feels like some kind of sick joke when you hear that everything that your race has done, everything that any race has done, has been orchestrated to produce the best possible outcome for a military standpoint. It's hard to understand why you're around and what you're supposed to do when you hear that.  
It's sad that even the best intentioned of any species is actually a failure in the eyes of the experimenters. For eons, we've been bred and skilled in the ways of war and violence. For some it's seen as distasteful and repugnant. For others it is a sacred calling.  
For me?  
I'm a Spartan, the Covenant is still out there. And even with the founding of the Coalition we haven't won the war. No, the war has just begun for all of us. Those past decades of conflict were the warm up for this...for this Great War.  
The Covenant lost their repository of Knowledge, and with it, the ability to utilize the weath of combat commanders within it. But they're not gone. Far from it. Now they're mad. Humanity and our allies have defeated them, and now they want revenge. What had been one front in our galaxy, not it's spread to a hundred. Struggles between the Light of the Coalition and the Darkness of the Covenant rage unchecked.  
The Jedi would call it a struggle between the Light side and the Dark side of the force.  
I just call it War.  
I just call it Hell.  
I'm a Spartan, and the Covenant is still out there. The Horde is out there. Humanity is still at war, and because of that, I'm still at war.  
  
SPARTAN –117, Master Chief, John  
  
And with that, I call the first in the Far Flung Hope series to an end. It's been really fun and I hope all of you that have read and reviewed my story read my next book in this series;  
  
Far Flung Hope, The Great War.  
  
The Conflict now spills over into a thousand different worlds. Battling the enemy throught history and reality in a million different incarnations of earth. Battling side by side with Dragons and Mages against Sith and Dark Jedi. Fighiting in M40 Ridgeway tanks and M4 Shermans against Lizard Land Cruisers. Aiding Resistance groups in Nazi Germany and the Fascist United States throw off their new Covenant Masters. Try to unite the Union and the Confederacy after over a century of violence to beat back the Covenant.  
  
Do tune in, it will be so fun I should think.


End file.
